Together we Stand Against the World
by Death to elves
Summary: Fili, Kili, and Thorin survive The Battle of The Five Armies. Fili and Kili decide to pay Bilbo a visit in the Shire and come during the winter when trouble is brewing!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

*Fili*

He held his motionless brother in his arms. The sounds of the battle raging around them dimmed as tears fell onto the limp body the Dwarf held. Why, by Mahal, did this have to happen? His Kili was still so young; he should never have come on this adventure.

Kili's face was pale, making his dark hair and the blood stand out. The blood… it was all over him, soaking his clothes. Fili placed his hand on his brother's chest where his heart should beat. The response he felt was so faint the Fili almost thought he had imagined it but there it was again. Kili was **alive** and that was all that mattered.

"Kee, stay with me, please. I have to take you back to the mountain." Fili said, trying to lift Kili and defended himself from the Orcs that charged him.

Then it happened. An Orc swung its blade while Fili was killing another. The sword connected with his side with a burning pain. Fili looked down to see the crooked blade slice though the armor he was wearing and pierce his side. The blade was withdrawn and, while darkness took him, his last thought was for Kili. _Who would find him now_, he wondered idly.

When Fili opened his eyes he saw the kind faces of Oin and Balin. The herbalist was wrapping his side in a soft cloth while Balin held Fili's arms to his side. Fili winced and said weakly, "I-I can hold myself now. Where are Kili and Thorin?"

Oin looked down at him as Balin gently relaxed his hold on his arms.

"Fili, lad, you had better not strain yourself. This is a deep wound and it'll take a lot of time to heal."

Fili could tell that he was hiding something. "Oin, where is Kili? Is he alright, tell me please?"

"He's in bad shape. When you two were found we thought he was dead, but he's still holding on, barely." Balin's answer made him catch his breath. Kili was still living.

"Can I see him? I would very much like to be with him."

"Aye, in a minuet you may. You could even share a room with him if that would comfort ye any." Oin said kindly, but Fili had not failed to see the sad look between Balin and Oin.

Fili smiled his thanks and tried not to wander what that look had meant. Slowly, as he drifted back into sleep, he could not help but to give way to a small smile. Kili, his little brother, was still with him, he had not left him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

*Kili*

_Am I alive? I must be because if I was dead I wouldn't hurt so bad_, Kili thought, _I wander where Fili is. The last time I saw him, he caught me when I fell._

He opened his eyes and immediately he wished he hadn't. There was a light shining brightly in the room he was in. _Ah, ha_, he thought, _more proof I'm not dead. Now I have a headache!_

There was the sound of a door opening, and someone entering the room. Kili turned his head slightly to see who entered his now 'lair'. It was Balin, Oin, and… _Fili_? He was being half carried between Balin and Oin and half supporting himself.

"Brother," the word was hardly more than a whisper, for his mouth was dry and when he licked his lips, he tasted blood. _Blood, my mouth is bleeding, _he said to himself,_ I didn't bite my tongue or anything, did I?_

"Kili, you're awake! Are you alright?" Fili said concern written plainly on his face.

"Yeah, but I guess I've been better. How are things with you?" he faked a smile.

"Kili, are you sure? Your mouth is bleeding." Fili said as he gently wiped the blood from the corner of Kili's lips.

"I am fine." Kili lied for Fili's own sake. If he told Fili he felt like his entire body was in the middle of a bonfire, Fili would not stop worrying for him. But it did not matter what he told him for Fili always knew when something was bothering his brother. In an attempted to change the subject Kili said. "I suppose we won the battle. Where's Thorin?"

"We won, but the casualties are great. What is wrong, I know there's something hurting, now what is it?!"

"You'd better tell him, lad. Or he'll work himself into a fit." Balin warned as he and Oin left the room to the two brothers.

When they had left Fili looked meaningfully at Kili. "Well? You going to tell me or not?"

"Okay, Fili you win. Everything hurts, but my chest hurts the most. I guess that's because that is where that Orc clubbed me. It's bruised no doubt. I'll be fine. You still did not tell me how you are." Kili said as Fili settled into a bed adjacent to his.

"I'm alright. Have a nice sword slash on my side but other than that, just sore. I have a feeling Thorin's okay, but they must not have heard me ask about him, so I'm not sure. I also have a feeling that you aren't telling me everything as well."

Kili closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Fili, I'll tell you what really hurts. It...it's my chest like I told you. Every time I breathe there's a bad pain."

"I don't know Kee; you had better tell Oin that." He said. After a small while, Kili fell into a deep sleep with Fili worrying what could be wrong.

_Kili's dreams were tormented with the sounds of battle and the smell of blood and death. He used to wander, when he and Fili were boys, what death could possibly smell like. Well, now he knew. And he wished that he was still ignorant of it._

_In his dream he was fighting the battle again. He could see Thorin battling Azog to the death and he saw the blade flash as Thorin decapitated the Pale Orc. Then he saw Thorin fall. He ran to him calling his name. Fili suddenly appeared next to him and they both defended their beloved uncle. Then Fili charged an Orc and he did a quick spinning slash with his duel blades. As soon as Fili had turned, that was when a monstrous Orc with a heavy wooden club struck Kili full force in the chest._

_Kili's ears rang from the blow as he flew through the air and landed on his back on hard rock. He gasped as the breath was knocked out of his body. The Orc with the club ran at him. Kili was unable to defend himself as his bow had left his hand when he had landed and his sword had also fallen out of his reach, his dagger, too, was gone. As the Orc came closer it lifted its club for the kill when suddenly an arrow appeared in the side of its neck. Kili stood and turned to see the Wood Elf prince called Legolas grin cheekily at him._

"_I believe that one was going to kill you." He had offered Kili a hand, but Kili stubbornly refused help from the Elf._

_The pain in Kili's chest became worse with each breath. Another Orc with a large two handed sword rushed at him. Kili barley had time to grab up his own sword to parry the Orc's blow. Finally he was able to defeat his enemy with a quick thrust. But, as the creature fell, it made one final swipe with its blade, determined to bring down that young, beardless, Dwarf. _

_Blood flowed freely from Kili's abdomen where the Orc's sword had made an attempted to cut him in half. His vision was tinted red as he fell to his knees. He blinked and tried to focus._

"_**Kili**__!" Fili screamed. Then he fell back into his brother's arms and darkness claimed him_.

When he slowly opened his eyes again he was covered in a cold sweat even though he was burning hot. Fili was watching him with a troubled expression on his face.

"Kili, how do you feel today?"

"What do you mean 'today'? And I feel awful, how 'bout you?"

"I mean what I say. You've been unconscious since five last night."

Kili frowned. "And what time is it now?"

"One in the afternoon."

"I wonder what Mum would say about me sleeping in so long?" Kili said.

"Oh, she'd probably say that you are a lazy bum, or worse." Fili replied grinning.

"I almost miss her scolding, of all things." Kili tried to smile, but he just could not. His lips were so dry and cracked he was afraid to try for fear they might fall off.

He decided to observe the room they were in.

It was nothing out of the ordinary. Floor, walls, and celling were black stone, which meant they were in Erebor. Fili's bed was on the other side of the room, it almost felt too far away. There was an end table in the middle of the room against the wall between the beds with two yards on either side. There were glasses of water on the table. _ Water…so thirsty, why on earth or under it is the water all the way over there?!_Kili thought with frustration.

"Their trying to tempt you out there, Kili." Fili had apparently seen him look over at the water.

"I wish they would not. You never told me how you're doing today."

Fili gave him the smirk he was well known for, the one that made all the girls melt. "I'm going to be feeling worse in a minuet."

"Wait…why are you…" Kili started to say.

Fili had sat up from his bed with a wince and rose to his feet. He had a bandage all the way around his side. His right side was apparently the side that the wound he had told Kili about the day before, because the bandage was stained with blood. He pushed the table closer until it was against Kili's bed, then he went to the other side of his bed and pushed until it was against the table.

"There, that's better. Boy that hurt, I'm not doing anything like that again."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

*Fili*

He had watched his brother most of the night. Fili had never been so worried.

Never, although there had been sometimes.

There was the time he and Kili had decided it was a good idea to get up in the middle of the night to hunt wargs and they really did find one. Then there was the time they had blown up a door that was locked. They both walked away from that with black faces and grins that stretched from ear to ear. They must have looked very strange, because, at first sight, their friends thought they were Orcs. The only real reason why Fili and been afraid that time was because of their mother. Dis was not the kind to enjoy explosions and had punished them for doing such a dumb thing, but she was almost constantly amused with the pranks of her two sons.

Kili had stopped breathing twice that night and on the second time, Oin had had a hard time to start him breathing again. It had scared Fili so bad when that happened. Two times... Once had been bad enough but twice was absolutely terrifying.

Fili had not minded the pain in his side that made him nauseous when he pushed the table and his bed across the room. Even if Kili had not thought of that, Fili did it to let him know that he was always going to be by him. It was something he had done since Kili was born and he wasn't going to stop now just because he had one 'small' cut.

Kili gave him a funny look.

"What's the matter with you? I hope you aren't going to make that face at me for very long."

"I was just thinking. What will happen now?"

Fili's smile faltered, "Well, I guess we'll become princes and help rebuild Erebor to its former glory or maybe surpassing it. I'll have to marry a respectable woman and produce an heir or so and then one day I ascend the throne and that will be that."

Kili frowned. "You don't want that to happen, do you, Fee?"

"No. That is not what I want."

"Then why did you come on the adventure?"

"How could I say no? I love Thorin and I knew he wanted us to come. I saw you wanted to come and also it was a chance to step outside the land we had never left. It was a chance for an adventure! And it's not too bad when you consider it Fate." Fili handed Kili a glass of water and laid back on the bed. Kili gratefully took the glass in a shaking hand and drank a sip. Fili rolled over on to his left side to face Kili and reached out a hand. His fingers brushed Kili forehead and he quickly pulled back.

"Ow, Kili, you burned me!" he said blowing on his hand.

Kili cracked a smile then he laughed, it was a dry laugh, but it sounded fine to his brother.

"It's a new self-defense system I thought up. I hope you like it."

Fili broke into a full laugh. "Kili, you never fail to say something."

There was a soft knock on the door and Oin entered followed by none other than Bilbo Baggins.

"He wanted to see you and I couldn't find an excuse fast enough, so here he is." Oin looked around the room then added, "Fili don't tell me you were on your feet. You are going to do more damage then you already have if you keep getting up."

Kili looked surprised, "Oin, why Fili do such a thing? I was the one who got up!"

Oin raised an eyebrow at that statement and shook his head. He would probably never understand the brothers. They were impossible.

Bilbo looked a bit nervous until Fili and Kili both smiled at him.

"I was just thinking about you. I was wondering how you faired in the battle, and I see you look fine."

"It's good to see you again, Bilbo. I usually would give you a slap on the back but it would seem I can't do that." Fili said, glancing at Oin who said, "Don't you dare even think about it!"

Kili suddenly got a very idiotic smile on his face, after Oin had left the room.

"What on earth is the matter with you, Kili?" Fili asked, bewildered by the crazy look on his brothers face.

"Oh, I was just thinking. Wouldn't it be funny if Mum came and we had this contraption all set up! It could maybe drop a pail of water or something even better!"

"You are always thinking up something to do to someone aren't you? Really, brother, you should try doing something other than that."

"But it's so much fun to see their faces! I don't want to do anything else!"

"Yeah, but if you really do that to Mum, you won't have anywhere to run."

Kili shrugged, "It was a good idea while it lasted."

"I hope the battle did not fair to bad for you? I only got knocked on the head, hard, but thankfully that's all that happened." Bilbo asked after a silence.

"I'm alright I guess. Kili's the problem, like usual." Fili said glancing at his brother.

Kili looked hurt, "Fee! You're cruel! I am **not** a problem, you're just jealous that's all there is to it." He stuck his tongue out to prove his point.

"Jealous! Of what would I be jealous, little brother?" Fili asked. Bilbo had taken a seat on Kili's left to watch the pair of obviously bored young Durins talk about something he had no idea about.

"Me of course, silly, who do you think."

"Why on earth would I be jealous of you?"

"Because I'm better than you. You always had girls after you."

Fili raised his eyebrows like he did when Kili did something unexpected, "How does that make you better than me, pray tell?"

Kili grinned, "I was too good for them, see. So they all went after you instead."

"No I don't see. Kili, where ever did you get your logic?"

"I don't know, from Mum maybe or Father."

Fili's face grew sad for a moment, "Mum would be most likely. Father, well…I don't think he was that sort."

Bilbo had never heard them talk of a mother or father until they had come to Laketown. There he had heard Thorin mention them as "the sons of my father's daughter". Then he had realized that they were his nephews. He had known they were relatives of course, that much had been obvious. They had similar looks and he had noticed they were always by Thorin, trying to please him or just looking up to him for support.

"Fili," Kili asked his face serious, "what was Father *cough* like?"

Bilbo blinked. _Kili does not know his father! I wonder what could have happened to him._

Fili thought for a moment before answering. "Kili, I hardly remember him at all, but from what I do remember, he was the kindest Dwarf the world has ever known. He had golden hair, dark eyes and was always ready to laugh. He was the one too insist Thorin live with us."

"If it's not too much to ask, what happened to him?" Bilbo inquired.

Fili smiled, "It's not too much of course." He then blinked as if to keep tears away, "Our father went with Thorin to defend our village against a tribe of Orcs that was attacking. As I understand, Thorin was surrounded by the foul creatures and was about to go down, when Father saw him. He and Thorin fought together until an arrow…it was meant for Thorin but Father saw it coming and stood in front of him." Fili's eyes filled with tears, making them sparkle like blue diamonds, "It hit him in the chest and he died in Thorin's arms. On his last breath he told Thorin that he had thought of him as a brother and a king. He asked him to take care of Mum, Kili, and me." Fili then smiled and wiped his unshed tears away, "Kili wasn't even born yet."

Kili took up the story where Fili had stopped, "I know the rest of what happened. That night when Fili was sleeping Thorin came home and told Mum Father was dead and gave his blades to her. I was born that night. Fili's swords were Father's until Fili found he was better at duel blades than a single sword. Mum gave them to him when he turned fourteen." Kili had a look sadness with a mixture of pride when he mentioned his older brother.

"Kili, what's that face for?" Fili asked puzzled to why his brother had such a usual expression.

"What face?" Kili now had a look of innocent bewilderment.

"The one you just made, silly!"

"I am not silly, you are the silly one!"

"I glad you're feeling good, Kee."

"Who said I'm feeling good?!"

"You did."

"What!? I'm afraid you've lost me, brother. I don't get it."

Fili smiled. It was always amusing when Kili was hurt and was starting to feel better for a bit. His smiled vanished when Kili's compaction turned paler then it had been.

"Well, I was feeling a little better, I guess." Kili said with a shaky voice, which made it sound like he was trying to keep from vomiting.

"You're just tiered that's all. You'll be fine Kee, alright?"

Bilbo stood. "I'll take my leave, then."

"No, wait a minute. Bilbo, if something happens you'll need to fine help." Fili said.

Kili Leaned back farther into his pillow and closed his eyes. For a while it looked like he had fallen asleep. Oin entered and told Bilbo it was time to leave so Fili could rest. When Bilbo had gone Oin walked to Kili's bedside and gently took the young Dwarf's hand. After he had felt Kili's pulse he started to unwrap his abdomen. That was when Kili opened his eyes. His breath was quick and harsh for a small amount of time before he reached out to grasp Fili's hand. His deep brown eyes told Fili that he was hurting badly, but he did not utter a sound. Instead he set his jaw firmly and looked to the person who had always been with him to comfort him or to just stay by him to let him know he there for him.

Fili gently squeezed Kili's hand when Kili had reached out desperately. Kili's grip tightened when Oin removed the last layer of the bandage. The wound was enough to make one sick to his stomach. It had bleed some though the night and now was a burning red color and was swollen. Oin gave his head a small shake. Kili had lost much blood and because of that, he may not be able to fight infection for long. Not only did it keep bleeding, but also many of Kili life chemicals were being lost, his entrails had been cut too meaning he would not be able to eat. If the young Dwarf did not die of infection he might die of starvation.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

*Kili*

The pain was excruciating when Oin had removed the last of the wrapping. It had, of course, pulled a little on the wound, which had made it burn like fire. No, worse than that, like he had fallen into the forge Fili and he worked at. He clenched his teeth and reached for Fili's hand. _Durin's Beard! Why all the pain when I was just starting to feel better?_ He looked at Fili and silently gave him a message, _Help me brother!_ Fili understood and took his hand. Fili's gentle squeeze told Kili he was there for him when he needed him to be.

Kili glanced down to his middle section and grimaced. He tightened his grip on Fili's hand when Oin lightly rubbed a healing ointment around his damaged area. The pain increased a hundredfold and his vision was beginning to fade because of it. He blinked and gasped when Oin began to rewrap him with a clean bandage.

"I'm sorry if that hurt, lad," Oin said when he was finished, "But it has to be done."

"I know." Kili managed to say, "It just feels like I'm being ripped apart."

"I can give you something for the pain, but I don't think you'll take it." Oin offered.

Kili closed his eyes as his hand slid from Fili's, "No, I probably wouldn't. I don't know why…"

"Don't know why what, Kee?" Fili asked, but there was no reply. Kili had passed out. The darkness had been sudden and half welcomed by the young dwarrow, however, the other half of him knew that he would only worry his brother more.

He woke to hear Fili talking to someone. As soon as his eyes began to open he felt a light weight on his chest. Kili struggled to see in the dim light. He could hardly make out a powerful form leaning over him. When he looked up a single word graced his lips, "Uncle."

Thorin's stern, slightly worried expression changed, and he smiled.

"Kili, how do you feel?" he asked in his deep rumbling tone.

"I've felt better, but I guess I'm alright for now." Kili answered his uncle with a small smile. Thorin's gold madness seemed to have left him after the battle. Maybe seeing the ones he loved hurt, cured him of it. Kili hoped so. Thorin had not been the same during the time they had in the mountain before the Battle of the Five Armies. Thorin's left arm was in a sling and he had a few cuts on his face, but under the cloak he was wearing, Kili could see his chest was bandaged heavily.

"You have made me proud, both of you. If Fain was here he would certainly say the same thing."

Kili's throat constricted, "Thank you, Thorin." He choked out with tears in his eyes although he did not know why. Perhaps it was because he had wanted to hear those words all his life. Thorin removed his hand from over Kili's heart and griped his shoulder.

"Are you hurting much?" Thorin asked.

"Not too bad. I'm sore like an Oliphant ran me over. Sometimes I hurt worse than others, but I haven't been awake very much." His head felt heavy and he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Suddenly he felt a twitch on his stomach and a slight moan escaped his lips. A muscle that had been severed in half suddenly was subject to a spasm. And it hurt.

"What's the matter, brother? You okay?" Fili asked, concern written all over his fine face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just twitching, that's all." Kili said.

Thorin nodded, "That will happen. Torn tendons and such do that sort of thing when they're trying to mend."

"Have you seen the rest of the company yet? How is everyone?" Kili and Fili both asked at the same time.

"Yes, I have seen most of the others. Ori has only a few bruises, Dwalin, of course, went untouched. Nori has a minor concussion, but I suppose he's had worse. Bofor lost his hat during the battle, but other than that every else is fine."

Fili grinned, "Poor Bofor. We'll have to morn his lose with him, right Kili?"

"Of course, the poor, cheerful fellow." Kili faked a sniff, as if he was trying to hold back tears. Then he turned to his uncle, "What about you, Thorin? Is everything good with you?" he asked, eyes straying to Thorin's arm then his chest. Thorin followed Kili's glances and answered.

"This arm is broken, but not badly. One rib is broken and the two on either side of it are cracked. Out of all the company, though, Kili, you received the worst."

"Sounds like Kili. Always the one to get the worst end of something but never shows concern for himself." Fili said giving his brother a smile. Kili snorted, "Yeah right, silent one! How come you're never hurting? Tell me that!"

Fili shrugged, "I guess it's because I'm worried over you so much I really haven't had time to hurt."

"Why are you worried over me? Okay so that was a stupid question. I am fine really and truly!" Kili said with large puppy-dog eyes.

Thorin had stood and listened to their conversation all the while. He knew the boys had a way of losing themselves when they discussed something. The puppy eyes were something the younger of the two had not done since Rivendell. Too much had happened in his life to have a very eager chat with his brother, so now Kili was dying for some kind of idea to keep his sibling talking to him. _No he's not dying_! Thorin told himself. He would never see Kili or Fili die.

Fili began to doze lightly after a bit and soon Kili felt himself tiring. When Thorin saw that his nephews were ready to sleep, he excused himself after bidding them a good-night.

"G'night, Uncle." Kili replied with a yawn. Soon after Thorin pinched the candles out and left, Kili eyes closed and he slept. While he slept, he dreamed of pranks Fili and he had done, and also some of the crazy stunts they had done.

"_Kili, are you sure that was a good idea?" Fili had asked. "Of course it was a good idea. We would not have done it if it wasn't good, or would have we?" Kili said with a grin. Fili rolled his eyes. Well, if they were going to kill themselves he might as well be cheerful about it. Kili, the Dwarf Prank Mastermind, had been at work again and, with any luck, they just might survive the thing he had started. He had gathered all manner of things he knew girls hated and climbed a tree. Somehow, Fili had been involved in all this and now they were both in BIG TRUBLE. What had Kili done? Oh, nothing much. He had just waited until a group of chattering girl Dwarflings walked beneath his perch in the tree and dumped a whole collection of grasshoppers, frogs, toads, lizards, and one large spider he managed to gather in a sack on the unfortunate young females. But, there was a problem Kili had not foreseen. The group had been headed by Ilay, and she was not a good person to mess with. Kili scrambled out of the tree as quickly as he could with Ilay screaming curses at him. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he ran for his life. Men and Dwarves alike stepped out of the way when Kili, closely persuaded by an angry girl, came running through the streets of the village. Kili flew past Fili, who had been desperately searching for his little brother, like a streak of dark lightning and Fili could only guess what had happened. Anyway, they were now hiding in the Training Grounds. They had figured that none of Ilay's guesses would bring her here. However, they were wrong. They soon discovered that when their hiding place had been overturned. Ilay had stood there with her hands on her hips and looked at them as if to see which pest she should get rid of first. "Okay, you guys, whose big idea was it?" Even though she and recently moved to their community from the Iron Hills and was only twelve years old, two years younger than Kili, she had a very commanding way of talking. Her glossy black hair and sapphire eyes helped her glare rather well, that and the fact that she was a natural born warrior-maid. Fili look at Kili, who in return looked at him. They turned to face Ilay at the same time. "It was his fault!" Kili said, pointing a finger at Fili. Fili stared at Kili with his mouth open. "Kili! It most certainly was not! You little scamp, come here!" Fili got Kili in a head lock before his little brother could react. They started to roll over and over, each one trying to stay on top of his opponent. Fili finally managed to keep Kili from rolling him over again. When the two stood up to meet their doom, Ilay was standing the way she had when they had started their tussle, only now with her hands behind her back. "Kili, since you were obviously the one behind that little annoying incident, I have something for you." "What is it? It better not be anything bad!" Kili demanded. "Come here and hold out your hand, if you want to know." Curiousness won over Kili's natural mistrust and he held out his hand. Ilay had than promptly dropped a baby Gardener Snake into his palm. Kili with a yell of surprise flung the snake away from him._

After that dreamKili fell into a deep sleep and did not wake until morning.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

*Fili*

Fili slept heavily that night. After all, he had not slept one time the night before. The knowledge that his brother and uncle were together and just fine made Fili feel like the world was happier for now. No dream came to him that night so completely worn out he was. However, he was awakened by the call of "Fee, wake up!" Fili at first ignored the pestering, until he realized that Kili was calling him.

"Fili, wake up, you lazy oaf!" Kili said quietly, but firmly.

Fili opened his eyes at that comment and raised one eyebrow.

"Good. You need to hear this." Kili said to his older sibling.

"Lazy oaf? Kili, why, brother, why am I an oaf?!" Fili asked the hurt pride obvious.

Kili shrugged, "I don't know. It got your attention, now be quiet before they hear us."

Fili was about to ask what Kili meant when he heard the sound of voices outside their room. One voice he identified easily as Thorin's. Thorin was the one who was talking at the time, so, like they used to do when they were Dwarflings, Fili began to listen in to the conversation.

"… dangerous. Is there not another way?" Thorin was saying.

"Well, we could do nothing and watch him die slowly. If you don't want that, then I'll have to at least attempt it." _That is Oin_, Fili guessed. Then he thought, _Who is dying and what are they going to attempt? _Fili glanced at his brother. Kili was listening intently with wide eyes.

"You know I do not want that to happen. I would rather suffer through a hundred more dragons than see ether Fili or Kili die. If that is the only way to save him, do it." Thorin replied. Then a new voice added in a heavy accent, "Why don't you ask the lads, or at least tell them this has to be done? And what of Fili?" _Bofor, _Fili decided.

"Fili is not as bad. In fact, he could probably live without an operation. But Kili, there's no hope for him if it's not done. We were planning on telling them when everything else was ruled on useless." was the reply from the healer. _An operation! _Fili was shocked. Surgery was avoided if it could be helped, it was considered too dangerous. _They must be despite to even think about that! Is Kili really hurt that bad? _Fili looked at him. Kili's face as gone white as a sheet and his dark eyes were now every large. He swallowed and turned his head to face Fili. The fear showed plainly on his face. Fili volunteered his hand and Kili took it and hung on as if his life depended on it. Fili mouthed, "_It will be okay._" Kili nodded. They hushed once more to hear what was being said.

"We have more of a problem than we usually would, however. Kili has already lost much of his blood and he has not eaten since before the battle. He would need strength and that is something he does not have." Oin said.

"Why do you not have him eat, then? Surly he must be hungry?" Bofor asked. Kili nodded. Fili figured he must be famished by now.

"Because, if he were to eat, it would increase the chance of infection and on top of that, some of his intestines are cut. One is almost demolished. It's a miracle he is living now. Had it been anyone else, he most certainly would be dead already." Oin answered. Kili let go of Fili's hand and quickly closed his eyes when the door opened and Bofor strode into the room followed by Thorin and Oin. Bofor walked over and sat by Kili while Thorin went to Fili. Oin stood quietly to one side of the room. Bofor grinned at Fili.

"So you enjoy your first real battle?" he asked.

"I was a bit, probably the adrenalin of it for the most part. Then when I was starting to get a little on the tired side, I lost Kili and I saw Thorin and Azog fighting. That was when it was not so fun and it really lost everything when Kili got hurt. Still can't find your hat Bofor?"

The older Dwarf nodded. He was about to make a comment when Kili "woke" for the second time that morning. Kili smiled at Bofor, Thorin, and Fili.

"Morning everyone." he said.

"Good morning, lazy oaf." Fili replied smirking.

"Fili, what kind of a greeting is that!?" Kili yelled.

"Revenge is sweet." Fili said in a sing-song voice while Kili tried punched him in the arm. Thorin shook his head with a small smile, sometimes the antics of his sister-sons were amusing, while other times they were down right annoying. Oin glanced at the brothers and rolled his eyes. When would the two ever act like the adults they were about to become? If they still acted like a couple of teenagers when they were named princes, Erebor would be in a lot of trouble.

When Kili had stopped hitting his brother, he looked around the room. "I have a strange feeling," he said, "that you are all here for a reason more than to just sit around."

Bofor laughed, "Always strait to the point, aren't you, lad?"

"Well, if you are going to be right out with what you say, we might as well be." Oin said. "Thorin, do you want to tell them, or should I?"

"Tell us what?" Fili asked although he had already guessed the answer and did not want to hear it again. Thorin turned to his nephews. Fili pulled himself up into a slight sitting position with a small twinge of pain in his side, but he did not mind.

Thorin took a deep breath and said, "To put everything as plainly as possible, you are dying, Kili and the only way you will even have a chance of surviving this, would be by surgery." Fili shook his head.

"No, no, no. Kili's not going to die. He's staying right here! Brother you cannot die!" Fili said choking out the last sentence. Kili seemed to have frozen in time. He just laid on the bed, his wild, dark locks of hair and the black stubble of his future beard in contrast to his pale skin. Slowly the realization of what had just been said dawned on his face. The raw fear, hurt, and all types of other emotions playing out on his face would have even had Thranduil himself feeling pity and sorrow for the young Dwarrow.

"I'm not going to die, Fee." he said firmly, "I will undergo this operation, if truly it is my only hope, and I shall recover. As long as you heart beats, Fili, mine does. Nothing will delay my life if it does not delay yours."

Thorin reached out to his eldest nephew and took his hand. Fili drew a shuddering breath to compose himself than he replied, "You are right, Kili. We are one and what happens to one of us will happen to the other."

Oin choose that opportunity to speak. "Fili, you could live without this but, if you insist, we will operate on you too."

"Of course I insist. And you did say _could_ live. I want to make sure that both of us live." Fili answered. Thorin's gray-blue eyes said his approval for him. Fili and Kili were always loyal to each other. They needed to stay together as long as they both live, for if you take one away, the other will fade.

"Very well, then, that is the way it shall be. Kili will be first to be worked on for his condition is more serious and then, Fili, you shall follow. It will have to be done this afternoon." Oin agreed.

Fili nodded, feeling no fear at his decision. Kili on the other hand turned paler at the thought of what was to come to pass, although he set his jaw firmly, his hand fumbled for Fili's. When their hands meant, the Dwarf brothers formed the connection that had started when Kili had been born a century ago, when Fili with the mind of a five-year-old and the body of a one-year-old held the hand of his prematurely born baby brother. Kili twisted his hand slightly so he was able to fully grasp Fili's right thumb in his left hand, with his thumb between the bones of Fili's index finger and the bottom joint of his thumb, Fili was able to hold most of Kili's hand. Only the two of them could form this special way of holding hands perfectly. They fell asleep a few minutes later still in that position.

_**A/N**_ **What have I done to poor Kili?!*sniff*Pray for him and Fili will you? Thank you soooo much all you reviewers! You have given me more reasons to write more often than I have been. Thank you again and enjoy! Coming up, we may see some Elf, and no it's not Tauriel. **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

*Kili*

After a quiet hour long nap, Kili awoke in the same position he had been in when he had fallen asleep. He rolled over on his back with a groan. _Why does everything I do have to hurt? _He thought. Fili stirred slightly when Kili removed his hand from Fili's, but other than that, silence reined their room.

Word must have spread about what was going to take place, because soon, one by one, the company filtered into the room. Dori, Noir, and Ori came first. They talked for a little while then decided to go, before leaving, though; Ori wished his younger cousins luck. Kili replied with, "We'll be just fine and when it is all done, we can laugh over it." After they had left, Bifor, Bofor, and Bombor entered. Bifor singed in Iglishmek and pointed to the axe in his head. Kili nodded, he guessed that if Bifor had survived with an axe embedded in his forehead, Kili's odds of living were not too bad. He singed back, _You are right, Bifor. It is not that bad if you consider it. Thanks for coming. _Bifor shook his head, indicating that it was no trouble to come. Bombor promised to make to best meal Middle Earth had ever known when Kili was to become conscious again. Bofor joked around for a bit then they also left. When Kili heard the sound of a fair voice he cocked his head to one side trying to figure out to whom to voice belonged when a laugh rang through the hall way like a chime of silver bells.

"Ha, ha! You can always trust a Dwarf to be suspicious. I am unarmed. I wish to only speak with Prince Kili, than my people will depart for Mirkwood."

An elf wants to speak with him? _What is the world coming to_? Kili asked himself.

"Very well, have it your way." a rough voice answered the elf's request, "Don't take too long. And if you dare insult the lad, I'll personally gut ya, after his uncle is done with you!" _Good old Dwalin_, Kili thought.

"Thank you, Master Dwarf, for your permission. And do not worry, I have no intention of harming him either mentally or physically." the elf replied. Than the door opened and the elf that had saved Kili's life in the battle entered. _What was his name, was it Legolas? Yeah, I think that was it._

The Elven Princeling bowed his head to Kili unexpectedly. Kili gave his head a stiff nod in return. Legolas' green eyes suddenly filled with remorse and he knelt at Kili's bedside.

"Kili of Erebor, I have come to apologize for my actions and that of my father's when you and your kinsmen were in our realm. We should have listened to your story patiently, but instead, we acted out of mistrust and old prejudices. I do not ask for forgiveness, for we do not deserve it, but for acceptance of my apology."

Kili was momentarily stunned silent. The Prince of the Mirkwood Realm, one of the most powerful elven lords in the world, was kneeling by a Prince of Dwarves asking for acknowledgment of his apology. Kili blinked trying to make sense of what had just happened. Legolas lowered his gaze waiting for Kili's reply and closed his eyes as a sing of humility.

Kili noted this and asked, "Why did you come to me to say this? Thorin is the king, not me."

Legolas answered with his eyes sill closed, "That it why I came to you. I mean no disrespect to Thorin Okensheild, but I wished to speak to you as one prince of a mighty people to another."

"I accept your apology, Legolas of Mirkwood."

The brilliant green eyes of the elf opened and slowly he brought his gaze level to the young Dwarf's. A bright smile spread across his face and the room seemed less gloomy. Kili's own face flickered with a small smile then he sobered.

"But I cannot forgive you yet. In time maybe, but now is to soon." he said.

Legolas' smile did not falter though. "I asked only for acceptance, and you have given it freely. You are an honorable Dwarf, Prince Kili. May someday we meet again." he said as he rose to his feet.

Kili then smiled. "Just call me Kili, please. And you are one elf I may be able to understand."

"Very well, Kili it is. May your recovery and your brother's be quick, and may Mahal bless you. Farewell." Legolas bowed once more and turned to leave when he suddenly stopped as if he had forgotten something. His voice was filled with humor this time, "Oh, the plan of escape was rather unusual. Barrels were never used in such a way before."

Kili laughed lightly, "That was not my idea. That was our Hobbit's thinking."

When the elf had left, Kili pondered on what had just transpired between the two of them. Fili woke, but Kili did not notice. He was completely lost in thought. Kili jumped when Fili said his name.

"You were starting to worry me," Fili explained, "you do not stare in to nothing often."

"I was thinking. You know, a strange thing just happened." Kili told Fili of Legolas' visit and what the elf had said. Fili's blue eyes were sparkling when Kili had finished.

"Once again you make me proud to be your brother. I wish I had been awake to witness that. Legolas may be sorry for his actions, but I wonder if Thranduil is?"

"I don't know. I doubt it. His son is a good deal better than he is, you can see that at first glance." Kili said.

"Well for me, but when he had an arrow nocked to his bow and was pointing it at Thorin, he was not looking to friendly to." Fili answered. Kili nodded and said nothing. After a minute or two, Kili drew a long breath.

"I wonder when they are going to get this over with. I getting bored waiting." he said. Fili grinned. "You never were good at waiting, Kee; you are just like Mum in that."

"We're opposites, you and I. I am impatient, impulsive, and dark, while you have infinite patience, you are thoughtful, and light." Kili replied.

"That's why we need each other. We are a team, we balance each other out. Like the two sides of a coin."

"Well, if we are a coin, I'm heads and you're tails." Kili joked.

Fili smiled, "That's funny. Really funny." He started to laugh softly, "No, I am heads."

"Nah, I think not. I am the smart one, and all you do is follow my lead, so I am heads because I go first and I have all the brains and you are tails because you are next." Kili countered. Fili just rolled his eyes. _He's not even going to argue with me! That can only mean two things; ether I'm right about that or he is worried. _Kili turned to face his brother.

"It is going to be fine, Fili. When this happens I want you to be with me, I want to face this the way we have faced everything. Together." He said this looking his brother directly in the eyes. The muscle under Fili's right lower eyelid twitched the way it did when he smirked and the corner of his mouth turned up in a half smile.

"I am going to stay right here, and nothing will make me leave. We will face this new challenge like we always have. Together." Fili reached out his hand without thinking anything of it and Kili took it and squeezed lightly. Fili returned the squeeze a little hard, then Kili. They did that until the last time Fili squeezed, Kili grunted with the pressure.

"Sorry, Kili, I did not mean to hurt you." Fili apologized.

Kili shook his head, "You never do, but really, Fee. I'm not going to crumble."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

*Fili*

Not two minutes after their little squeezing contest, Oin entered the room with three other Dwarves Fili did not recognize. Kili looked at them and give them a nervous smile. Oin nodded his head to Fili's unasked question.

"These are three of Dain's healers. They will be assisting me." he then gestured to the elder of the three, one with dark brown hair and gray streaks in his beard, "This is Kurn, that is Jilda," he pointed at the middle looking one with chestnut hair and gray eyes. This healer stood out from the others mainly because she was a Dwarrodam. She finished for Oin, "And this is my brother, Jarni. We are glad to have met you, although we wish it were under different circumstances."

Kili bowed his head to them politely, "It is nice to meet you and I to wish it were under different circumstances, but we don't always get to choose what happens to us." Jarni, a bright redhead, no more than fifteen, with green eyes, suddenly stepped forward.

"What was the battle like? I wasn't in it, but I watched from afar with Jilda. Did you kill many Orcs?" he asked. Kili raised an eyebrow and answered, "The battle was an experience I do not want to have again and I don't know how many Orcs died by my hand, but Fili killed more."

"What? Kili, I think you got more. You had your bow and a whole quiver full of arrows, a sword, and dagger." Fili said to his brother. Kili had opened his mouth to argue when Oin interrupted.

"If you want this over with you are going to have to stop talking so we can get started." Kili swallowed and nodded, biting his lip. Fili looked his brother in the eye. His eyes said, _It's all right little brother. You can do this! _Kili's eyes said, _This ain't gonna feel the best._ Kili then said aloud, "Well, let's get going than. Oh, and Jarni, if you do a good job helping, I'll give you the details later."

Fili knew Kili hated being touch by someone who was not family and glanced at him when Kurn began to undo his bandages. Kili's face showed nervousness more than anything and Fili longed to hug his brother and tell him everything was going to be alright.

When Kurn finished unwrapping Kili, Jilda gave a small gasp and Jarni turned away for a moment. Kili cocked his head to a little. "Pretty, isn't it?" he asked. Jarni looked at Kili and asked, "It doesn't hurt as bad as it looks, does it?"

Kili shook his head, "Only if it is touched."

Oin said, "That is why we agreed it would be better if you were unconscious when we start. You will have to drink this." He offered Kili a cup, which he took. After one last look around the room Kili drank the contents and relaxed. The medicine work amazingly fast and soon Kili reached for Fili's hand and when Fili grasped his hand, Kili's eyes closed. After thirty seconds Kili' breathing was slow and light.

Jarni took Kili's other hand and felt for his pulse then he turned to the others. "He's sleeping soundly. He might not wake for about two hours."

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While Kili was unconscious, Fili kept his eyes trained on his little brother's face. Kili looked peaceful, as is he had run all the way to the Lonely Mountain and for the first time, was truly resting. His completion was pale, but other than that, Kili looked like a young, tiered Dwarf who, when he wakes up, would do anything for good cold ale.

The healers said very little while they worked. Jarni hardly did more than stare at Fili or Kili and watch his sister work. Every now and then he would study Kili' face for any sign of a problem and apply soft pressure to Kili throat over the artery, and then he would give an update on Kili's wellbeing.

After thirty minutes, they finally finish their work on Kili. Jilda brought a thin needle and thick thread out from her apron pocket and began to close the wound up loosely but firmly. Fili exhaled deeply with relief when she had finished. Oin turned to Jarni, who looked down at Kili and laid his hand atop of his heart.

"His heart is beating stronger now; I think his must be sleeping lighter." Jarni said with a smile. He looked at Fili, "I like him and you too. I certainly hope he'll grow stronger quickly."

Fili smiled, "I hope so too. Kili can get almost anyone to like him, an Elf even wish to speak with him before they left for their home."

Jarni looked a little on the doubtful side at Fili's last remark, so Fili said, "When he wakes up, you can ask him about that. If he wants to talk, that is."

After a five minuet rest the healers returned to operate on Fili, and he knew no more. When he slipped into darkness, he dreamed.

_Fili was standing on the road outside of their mother's home, the early morning light bathing his face and hair in a warm, golden light. Kili stood by his side, as jumpy as a grasshopper. They were about to leave on the daring quest to reclaim Erebor and had come to wish Dis farewell. Their mother had tears in her eyes but she did not cry. Years of hard labor had strengthened her, however she embraced her sons. They were not even considered adult in Dwarven standards. As she pulled her sons close to her she whispered, "Be safe my boys. May the wind be at your backs and the road you travel be straight and true." Fili stepped back and looked his mother in the eye. "Mum, we'll be fine. I swear by all that is good, I will let nothing hurt Kili or myself. I will protect him with all my strength and my life, if it comes to that." "Let us hope it does not. I want you both back." Kili gave his brightest smile, "I want us both back too. If you don't show up soon after we get there and Smaug's dead, we will come back here and walk you there!" Thorin arrived then and Dis looked at him sternly, "Thorin," she had said, "You keep these young idiots alive, you hear me? Because if one of them or both of them gets hurt, I'm going to let you have it! Got that?" Thorin looked down at her from his pony, and smiled slightly. "Trust me this one time, sister. I will keep both eyes on them when we start." Fili then mounted his pony and Kili swung up on his own, right beside his brother. Dis waved and shouted, "No pranks! You hear me, Kili?" Kili had turned in his saddle and winked with a grin on his face that spelled fun. They were passing through the village quietly, but as they were nearing the gate they were halted by a call. "Fili, wait up!" They both turned in their saddles to see Ilay running up behind them. She ran up to Fili's pony, Pluck, and pulled him off from the stallion's back. Ilay's eyes suddenly filled with tears and she stepped closer to him. "Fili, you have to come back. Don't go and leave me!" Fili smirked at her, "Don't you worry. I'll be fine." Ilay grinned back, "Of course you will be. You have Kili to look after you." At that announcement Kili laughed until he nearly chocked. As Kili was distracted, Ilay kissed Fili on his cheek; she then lowered her head and stepped back from him. "Bye Fili, Kili, see you at Erebor." Fili got back on Pluck shook his head and they started on again. "I don't understand girls." Fili remarked when they were out of hearing range. Kili smiled, "Well, I do. You can learn all sorts of things if you chase them." Fili rolled his eyes. Kili was not only known as the Prank Mastermind, but also as the Tormenter of Dwarven Girls._

When Fili woke the pain in his side was almost unbearable. He blinked, trying to focus. He turned his head towards Kili and saw that his brother was sleeping. Jarni was talking in Khudzul to Bifur in a corner of the room. Bifur side-glanced at Fili and motioned to Jarni at him; when they came over to Fili's side Fili signed: _Hi Bifur, how are you?_ Bifur grinned and replied: _I am fine. You dream good dream? _

"Yeah, kind of. Has Kili been awake yet?" Fili asked. Jarni shook his head.

"Jilda and the others wanted me to stay incase either of you were to wake up. It's been on hour since then, Bifor stopped in to keep me from dying of boredom."

Fili smiled, "You sound like Kili. He can't stand to be still unless he's sleeping, which makes me wonder what he is going to do when he's bored now that he is a prince. He used to start prank wars in our village, but he can't do that now."

"What kind of pranks would he pull?" Jarni asked, full of curiosity.

"Anything he could get his hands on became dangerous. Once on Durin's Day, right before his eleventh birth day, when our mother and Thorin were nowhere to be seen, he and I got our hands on a small amount of black powder. We snuck into a tent when no one was in it, put a scrap of lamp wick in the middle of the tiny pile, lite it, and ran for our lives. Seeing the tent fly up in the dark sky as a ball of fire was worth the thrashing we got and eventually it became a tradition for us." Fili told him. Jarni's mouth fell open.

"You mean that every year since he was ten, you've been blowing tents up?"

Fili nodded. "Until this year, every single time Durin's Day comes around, there's an explosion for nine years strait. Last year we drug our anvil out of the shop and hit the powder with the hammer after Kili heated the end of it. That time we had black faces and they did not have any trouble seeing us as the culprits." he informed the younger Dwarf. Before he could ask another question, Thorin entered. Jarni stared in awe at the great king as Thorin strode over to Fili.

"Are you feeling well, nephew?" he asked, ignoring the apprentice healer's stare, he sat by Fili's side.

"I am feeling fine, considering I dreamed of Dis." Fili answered, smiling slightly. Thorin sighed.

"I suppose I'll have to face the wrath of my little sister, won't I?" he replied, a slight sound dread in his tone of voice. Fili shrugged with a sigh.

"Well, you are not along to face that. I promised her I would not let Kili get hurt, and now look at him." he said with a trace of guilt.

"It was not your fault, Fili. You would not have been able to stop it from happening. It was a battle and a large one at that, you probably would have gotten hurt anyway, thing like this will happen." Thorin said with a slight frown of disapproval at Fili tone. Fili sighed; it was depressing to see Kili like that. His energetic little brother got tiered by just talking and it did not seem to be him anymore.

Sometime after, Ori showed up followed by Dori, and soon the entire company was in their little room. Fili noticed that Jarni was standing in a corner of the room staring in awe at all the heroes so near to him. Jarni saw Fili watching him and blushed scarlet to his ears; Fili smiled and motioned him over with a hand. When Jarni shyly arrived by Fili's bedside, Fili got the attention of everyone in the room.

"This fellow right here helped with everything today. His name is Jarni." Fili announced. Jarni looked like he was about to die with the attention he was receiving from these great figures until Bofur, of course, thumped him on the back and started talking to him like they were old friends. 

_**A/N **_**The DOS came out well after I had written chapters 1-8, that is the reason there is no Tauriel in this story, sorry if any of you wanted her…**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

*Kili*

Kili's sleep was undisturbed by any sort of dreams or sounds, if fact when he woke up he had no idea that he had really even been asleep. When he tried to move his fingers and felt no movement at all. He could not feel a thing come to think of it. It was like he was floating in mid-air with nothing holding him up. _I wonder if this is what flying feels like if you happen to be a bird?_ Kili asked himself. Slowly, with an effort, he opened his eyes to see the entire company of Thorin Okensheild, with the exception of Bilbo who had left with the Elves although he had wanted to see Kili well again, looking at him expectantly as if he was supposed to do a back flip. Fili smiled brightly at Kili and Kili grinned back.

"I have a strange feeling," he said slowly, looking at every one of them there and cocking an eyebrow, "that I am being watched!"

Fili smile grew larger until his smirk was replaced with a ringing laugh of joy.

"Kee! Oh, Kili, brother!" Fili said over and over again while the rest of the company all smiled and chuckled. Bofur shook his head with a wide grin.

"I think he's feeling alright." Bofur commented.

Kili looked at him seriously. "In truth, I don't know if I am feeling well or absolutely terrible. I can't feel a thing, you could drop that Goblin King right on top of me and I wouldn't know it if I did not see it coming."

"Kili, you just had to mention that creature, did you not?" Fili asked with a grimace.

"Yeah, I did. Now anyone here know what it's like to feel nothing at all, other than me?" Kili said then continued, "It's a real strange feeling, you know, to feel nothing, you have a feeling. Make any sense?"

Fili shook his head, "No, Kee. You do not make any sense at all." Kili sighed. _How do you explain feeling no sensation at all?_ Thorin gazed at his youngest nephew, slightly troubled. Oin came to Kili's rescue from trying to explain.

"His nervous system is probably in shock, nothing to worry about. It will last a few hours at the most." he said.

Kili rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Oh, hooray. That's all I need, to sit here not knowing what is even going on." However, he did not need to wait long before sleep claimed him once more.

He had no dream again and when he woke, Fili too, had fallen asleep. Kili realized that he could feel his brother's hand in his own. He closed his eyes with a relaxed and blissful sigh, for this is the only thing that matters now. He and Fili are alive and together. When Kili reopened his eyes, he noticed that Thorin was still in the room this time by Kili's left side.

"Thorin."

"Yes, Kili?" Thorin inquired.

"How long has it been since I went to sleep?"

"About one hour. Are you hungry, lad?" his uncle replied.

Kili nodded enthusiastically, "I'm starved."

Just then Bombur walked into the room with a steaming bowl of broth, which he handed to Kili. Kili received the bowl eagerly and smiled and nodded his thanks to the elder Dwarf. Kili did not eat quickly, however, because he did not only want to enjoy the rich flavored broth but also because he remembered the last time he had eaten food too quickly on an empty stomach. _It did not end well, _he thought. When he was half done eating Fili awoke.

"Hey there, lazy bones, did ya sleep well?" Kili asked of his brother, squeezing his hand.

"Hmm. So now I am lazy bones, you fat old troll!" Fili replied with a fake glare. Kili gulped down a mouth full of his food and turned to his elder sibling with a glare of his own.

"FAT OLD TROLL! I'M GONNA GET YOU FOR THAT, BLONDIE!" he half yelled at Fili, who pretended to cower at his brother's show of temper.

"Okay, okay, Kili, I am sorry," he said then added with a smirk, "Baby brother." Kili's face took on a look of complete outrage and disgust at the name Fili had just called him.

"Don't you dare call me that ever again, 'cause if you do, there's going to be some serious trouble." Kili said with a black look. Fili's face dropped his former look and he smiled gently, the spasm around his left eye making it appear as if he was half winking at Kili. Thorin laughed under his breath then took the already-empty bowl from Kili's hand. As he stood to leave Kili stopped him.

"Uncle, when do you think Mum will get here?" Thorin shrugged and replied, "Whenever the news reaches the Blue Mountains, caravans of our people will start to journey here. I expect she will be in the first one to embark." Kili nodded and closed his eyes. When Thorin had gone, though, he reopened them and bit down on the inside of his cheek. His abdomen felt as if someone had tried to gut him.

"Fee!" Kili gasped and grabbed for Fili's hand. His brother's face clouded over with worry as his reached out for Kili's hand. As soon as their hands met, Kili grasped his brother's hand fiercely with a grunt.

"Are you hurting badly, brother?" Fili asked. Kili set his jaw firmly and nodded again. Fili lightly squeezed Kili's hand then he did something unexpected. He carefully slid out of his bed, walked over to Kili side and climbed under the covers next to him. Kili turned to Fili and buried his head in Fili's shoulder. Fili wrapped his arm around his brother and began to hum a song, than he began to sing.

"_Lay down your head, and I'll sing you a lullaby. Back through years of Lully-lie-lay, and I'll sing you to sleep and I'll see you tomorrow. Bless you with love for the road that you go…"_

Kili relaxed in his brother's gentle hold and laid his head on top of Fili's chest. The sound of Fili quietly singing the song their mother had sung when they were very young Dwarflings mingled with his steady heartbeat. Slowly, to sound of Fili's lullaby and thudding heart in his ear, Kili began to feel to waves of pain lessen until he could feel them no longer. He burrowed in closer to Fili and only "hummed" in response to Fili's cheeky remark about him still being his baby brother after all. The breath slowed in his lungs as a thick blackness settled on his vision and he blinked tiredly. Kili fought with the dark that wanted him to fall asleep. He wanted to stay conscious and to just be with his brother.

_**A/N**_** I am sorry about my English. It's not very good, I know, and this is probably real hard to read. Sorry again, and thank you my wonderful reviewers and silent favoriters and followers! The song is Sleepingsong by Secret Garden. I was listening to it when I was writing the chapter and could not resist putting it in. Symblime, leggomygreggo2, Apophis god of chaos, Mira Meliandra, and guest reviewer Rebecca thank you sooooo much for your support! I hope you're happy with this one :D **


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

*Fili*

_Two weeks later…_

Fili sat in his chair beside Kili's bed, while Kili was sitting up in bed not even leaning on the pillows. He seemed to be hard at work contemplating on whatever his was thinking up. Fili reached out and grabbed his brother's arm as Kili suddenly swung his legs out of the bed.

"Don't do it Kili. What if you hurt yourself? I'd like to see you try to explain that." Fili warned. Kili gave him a look that meant 'you worry like a mother hen' and shrugged. Fili let go of his arm and shook his head until his braids flew with the motion. "It is **not** a good idea, but fine have it your way."

"Oh, don't be such a worry-wart, Fee." Kili said. Fili stood and offered his hand to his brother. Kili accepted his offer had pulled himself on to his feet. At first he leaned on Fili for support and Fili wrapped his arm around Kili's shoulders until Kili steadied himself, then Fili stepped back and let him go. Kili breathed deeply and positioned himself as if he had notched an arrow to a bow and was preparing to fire, then he changed his stance as if now he held a sword in a defensive position. Fili half smiled at his brother's antics. Kili had wanted to stand and use his weapons once again.

As Kili was just about to lean into Fili again there was a knock at the door and Bofur entered. He grinned at them upon seeing both Fili and Kili on their feet.

"Well, well, well. You two are feeling better today, I see." he commented.

"I feel even better now that I am actually standing for the first time in about two and a half weeks. So, what's up Bofor?" Kili replied. Bofur answered immediately.

"News has come from the Men of The Lake have heard tidings of a caravan of Dwarves heading this way, and a mighty big one too." Kili sat down on the bed and glanced up at Fili. Fili smiled broadly then asked, "How far away is it?"

"A week at the most and four days at the least, so they say." Fili turned to Kili.

"How much do you two want to bet their here in five days?" Bofur said he would bet the caravan would be there in six days and placed twenty gold on it. Kili bet on four days with twenty-five gold, and Fili, not to be out done by his little brother, bet five days with thirty gold.

After Bofur had left them to themselves Kili asked Fili why he had bet so much gold.

"Because Kee" was the reply, "I am the crown prince now, right? I have almost the entire wealth of Erebor, as do you." Kili nodded in agreement then grinned, "How much do you want to bet Mum is with them?" Fili laughed shaking his head.

"I am not going to bet a single coin on the odds of her not being with them!" _Or Ilay for that matter, I do hope she comes soon._ Fili thought. Kili pulled on Fili's shirt sleeve making him sit beside him on the bed. Fili looked at Kili and slung his right arm around Kili's shoulders.

"So, little brother, what are we going to do when the caravan gets here?" he wondered aloud.

"I don't know. You know what would be nice?"

"What?"

"It'd be nice if we could go to meet them outside of Dale." Kili said laying his head on Fili's shoulder. Fili gently rested his head atop his brother's.

"Yes, that would be nice. The princes of the Lonely Mountain welcome the Dwarves back to a homeland completely flooded with gold. I wonder how long it will take to get all that back where it belongs."

"I hope we aren't going to be assigned to that job! It would take years and I think I'd be bored of it within minutes." Kili sighed. Fili snorted, "Ha, no you wouldn't. You would start throwing the stuff at me, and before anyone can object, we'd have a full scale war raging." Kili laughed, "Sounds like a lot of fun to me!"

"Hey Oin, look!" The healer had turned his back on them and the moment he did, Fili helped Kili on to his feet and they both stood there ginning like a couple of lunatics. Fili smirked when Oin rolled his eyes and Kili proudly walked across the room then returned his brother's side.

"See, Kili's just fine now. Can he not come with me to Thorin today?" Fili asked. They had been secretly working on Kili's standing until he could walk steadily on his own for two days. Oin nodded his approval and Kili joyously turned to Fili. Fili opened his arms into which Kili flung himself.

"Come on Kili. Let's go take a walk shall we?" Fili said. Kili pulled back from his embrace and nodded with a brilliant white smile. When they opened the door of the room to leave, Kili made a squeaking sound and swallowed. Fili could feel the excitement and joy course through his brother's body and held his hand a bit tighter.

Ten minutes later, they stood in the great meeting room of the Dwarves that was filled to the brim with gold and jewels. Their sharp eyes scanned the area until Kili pointed to a lone figure on one of the mounds of treasure. The gold under their feet clanked softly as their boots brushed against them. Kili stumbled once but Fili reached out to catch him just in time. As they neared the top of the miniature mountain, Thorin turned and raised his hand in greeting. Fili and Kili waved back at him then continued their climb upward. It was hard going because the coins and such would slid backwards, bury their feet, or slip out from under them, but at last they reached the top and stood on either side of their uncle. Thorin smiled and put his arms around them, something he had not done since before the quest.

"It is good to see you walking again, Kili and you too Fili." he said. Fili straitened himself and he breathed deeply.

"Thorin, can I ask you something?"

"Ask away." Thorin replied.

"When the caravan arrives, may we go to meet it?" Fili questioned. Thorin nodded. "If Kili is able, then yes you may go. But only to the ruins of Dale."

"Oh, I shall be by then. And we'll not pass the outside border of Dale." Kili answered quickly.

"Good. Let us go find something to eat." Fili and Kili agreed to this statement readily and started to make their way carefully down the mound and through the hall with Thorin close behind them.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

*Kili*

_Three days later…_

Kili pulled on his coat, slung his sword, quiver and bow on his shoulder then buckled his dagger across his waist. _Today is going to be a good day, _he thought and was about to make a cheerful remark when Fili held out a gloved hand.

"Come on brother, pay up. You and Bofur lost the bet, now come on."

"Oh, Fee. You're mean, and I don't have the money on me right now. I'll hand the coin over when we come back." Kili grumbled while Fili smirked and slid two throwing knives into his gauntlets. Kili watch, amused, when a stack of daggers and knives disappeared, hidden in various places on his brother's person, he smiled faintly, remembering how the Elves in Mirkwood kept searching Fili over and over again and one of them had still found a dagger in the back of Fili's tunic as the elf was pushing him into a cell.

"By the time you're done there, the caravan's going to be here." Kili said. Fili looked at him.

"I'm done. Let's go!"

"You said it."

"I know I did, now hurry up." Kili rolled his eyes at his brother's cheeky remark.

Five minutes later, they were standing outside the front gates of Erebor breathing in the crisp, clear, winter air. Kili inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. Then he let the breath go and reopened his eyes to see Fili grinning at him.

"Well squirrel, let's go see if Mum's here, shall we?"

Kili grinned back nodding. Fili had not called him by that nickname for a long time and it felt good to hear it again.

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The princes strode down the one-time-well-worn road to the ruins that had once been the city of Dale where humans had lived in harmony with the Dwarves of Erebor. They reached what had been the middle of town, and Kili climbed on a standing wall of a house whose roof had caved in. His sharp archer's eyes quickly saw black shapes moving in their direction and he jumped back down at Fili's side jarring his tender midsection and he bit back a groan.

"See anything little brother?" Fili inquired of him when Kili was beside him once more.

"Yeah, if we head strait this way, we'll run right into them." he answered as he pointed in the direction of the caravan. After a bit of thought while they trudged onward blinking away the snowflakes that had begun to fall, Kili was struck by a very good idea. When he referred his plan to Fili, his brother nodded in agreement smiling widely. They reached the outside wall of Dale they halted and ducked into a doorway of a nearby ruin. In two minutes time, they were rewarded by the sound of tromping boots on the frozen ground and through the thin layer of snow that had formed. A surge of excitement ran up Kili's spine as he turned to Fili who gave him a small nod. At that signal from his brother, Kili drew an arrow from his quiver and nocked it to his bowstring while Fili silently drew his blades from his double sheath and they both sprang out of the building. The first person they ran into was Bard of Laketown.

"Hi ya, Bard!" Kili greeted him bow still bent. Bard took in their defensive position and raised an eyebrow.

"Um, hello Kili, Fili. What are you doing?" he asked.

"We're greeting our kin, what does it…" The words faltered and came to a stop when a Dwarf woman stepped out from behind Bard. Her gray-blue eyes showed almost no emotion, but Kili saw her hands start to shake. She opened her mouth, but no words came the three of them just stood and stared until Fili's hand moved on its on accord and his swords ended back in the sheath at his back. Kili's string loosened and, as his bow lowered, the arrow slipped from his hand. Bard stepped out of the way as the Dwarrodam suddenly rushed at Fili and Kili. As they were pulled into her warm embrace Kili whispered, "Hello, Mum."

"Oh my sons, my babies!" Dis exclaimed and she began to cry helplessly in their arms. Kili felt tears prick his own eyes but he blinked them back, he was a warrior now and a prince, he should not weep in front of a Man. He tried to appear annoyed at Dis's name for them as they were far from the children they had once been, or maybe that fact was just true in ways of the body as their minds were not quite so adult. When Dis finally stepped back from them she was smiling through her tears.

"I am so glad, so very glad; the two of you are safe!" she exclaimed and looked them over carefully. Kili straightened and grasped his brother's hand. Fili's lips twitched into a smile and he squeezed back before clasping their mother's shoulders in both hands.

"I told you I would look after my little brother, Mum, didn't I?" he said and Dis nodded.

"Aye, you did. But my brother swore to see to the both of you. Where is he?"

Kili answered, "Up at the mountain. It's quite a mess up there really, even with Dain helping."

Fili glanced up at Bard then said, "Perhaps we should talk when we get home, before the snow is over our heads. Come on Mum, or Kee will freeze without his hood up."

Kili glared and defiantly yanked Fili's hood down. Fili smirked in his characteristic way and, in response, pulled Kili's hood up over his brother's unruly dark hair. No sooner than the hood was up, when it was down again, for the youngest Durin had always hated something covering his head, unless, of course, a hood was the only shelter from rain. _Nasty water… _

"Alright, that's enough boys. There's a whole caravan of about eighty hungry Dwarves waiting on you." Dis said and something in the way she said it had the two trouble makers sobered in a heartbeat.

On the way back to Erebor, the young brothers told their mother and all who were listening about some of the things that had happened during their adventure. Dis found the troll story rather amusing and had laughed when Kili told of Bilbo's last minute distraction that had saved Bombur's life. When they told her of the imprisonment in the Wood Elf palace, her anger at the treatment of her sons was very visible. Just before they reached the gate Kili finished the tale and Dis sighed.

"If only Master Baggins had stayed a little longer. I would have liked to have met him." she said wrapping her arms around her boys, "I am very proud of you, in fact, I could never be more proud! I love to death, both of you!"

"I love you too Mum. I wish you could have come sooner; we missed you terribly." Fili said.

"Yeah, you're the best mum in all of Middle Earth!" Kili added and, just for good measure, gave Dis a little kiss on her cheek. Dis responded by ruffling Kili's dark locks and pulled them both closer to her.

_**A/N**_** There that is the happy reunion between Dis and her sons. I hope you enjoyed! Please review, because you inspire me to no end :D Fili and Kili fun may be next…**

**OMG I am so exited! Fifteen favorites, twenty follows and one thousand nine hundred and six views is more than I ever dreamed for this story and I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart! When I saw how many it had, I wanted to dance, but my brother disowned me:/ He wasn't that thrilled when I started writing fanfiction. Oh well! What the heck, enjoy!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

*Fili*

Fili had missed his mother of course. All who knew Dis could say that if they do not see her in a while they miss her, but Fili had not known just how badly he did until he saw her. Kili had mentioned before the battle that he had missed her and he had agreed, but when he was pulled into her warm embrace, he realized she had left a hole that could have only be filled by laying eyes on her when she smiled.

The Dwarves from the Ironhills had stayed at Erebor to help build what had been broken by the dragon and when Fili, Kili, and Dis entered; they were greeted by young Jarni who seemed to consider the two brothers his friends.

"Hi Jarni, how's life?" Kili asked as the boy started to walk along beside them.

"Oh, it's oaky I guess. Are all these people from the Blue Mountains?" he asked.

"Yes, most of us are returning from there. Kili, I forgot to tell you…" but Dis never finished when someone behind them shouted, "Hey, Fili and Kili! How come you didn't notice me?!"

They turned to see a human grinning broadly at them with a crooked toothed smile.

"Bainard! What in the world are_ you_ doing here?!" Kili exclaimed while Fili felt a sudden urge to gape. The man was native of Ered Luin, and had been a friend of theirs for a long time. Wearing a faded green cloak and soft, light leather boots had made him almost invisible and soundless.

"I came to see my Dwarvish friends; that is what I'm doing here. Hey Kili, do you still think you can out shoot me?" Bainard asked brushing back his hood and letting his brown hair fall about his shoulders and also revealing a bow and a quiver of arrows.

"Of course I can still out shoot you, you muddy faced, crooked toothed, son of a one eyed donkey!"

"Kili son of Fain, watch your language!" Dis said with a disapproving frown, but Bainard laughed.

"You know something? I bet your just saying that. I bet that if we were to have a shooting contest, I'd beat you. And it's not my fault my teeth got knocked in by a horse's hind hoof."

"How much are you betting?" Kili asked and Fili bit his tongue to keep from laughing. This was them all over again! Whenever they got the chance, they were challenging each other to shooting contests. So far though, Kili had been the solid winner the last three years, and Fili, although he was very proud of his brother's ability, was beginning to feel a little sorry for the Man. Just a little.

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Thirty minutes later, they were standing in their room after Kili had beaten Bainard (again) and was handing Fili the gold he had won.

"Here, this is for you." he said and Fili smiled. It was the same amount of coin that Kili had lost in the bet against his brother and Bofur.

"Why thank you, little brother." Fili said.

"And this is also for you!"

Kili unexpectedly swung a pillow at Fili's head and Fili managed to duck in time, although he had no clue how. Grabbing a weapon of his own, Fili blocked Kili's next attack and when Kili, with a quick turn his wrist, almost disarmed him, he decided to throw a few surprises. Literally. When Kili was not watching Fili's free hand, he grabbed up a sheet and threw it over Kili's head. Kili made a sound that could only be described as a squawk as Fili hit him with his pillow. The poor young son of Dis desperately stumbled forward and landed on top of his older brother, who promptly collapsed on the floor. Soon Fili became entangled in the piece of bed covering that was now covering his younger sibling and tried to escape with Kili's arms around his legs.

"Truce! I call truce Kili stop!" Fili said but Kili only snickered and, removing one arm and gripping harder with the other, he began to poke Fili in a partially ticklish spot. When Fili started to plead harder for mercy, Kili shook his head and tickled harder. Finally, Fili could take it no longer and burst out laughing until his newly healed side began to ach. Kili stopped suddenly too, and Fili removed the sheet from around his head. Kili looked up at him with a smile and rolled over onto his back placing a hand over his abdomen with a sigh.

"It has been way too long since we have done anything like that, Fee. I wish this confounded stomach of mine would not hurt whenever I do something. You have no idea how hard it was to shoot."

Fili got to his feet and offered Kili his hand but Kili shook his head.

"What's the matter?" Fili asked, alarmed.

"I think it would be a good idea to wait for my stomach to settle for a bit before I try to stand. You don't want me to get sick again do you?" Kili replied. The day before they had went to explore the mountain and Kili had walked a little too much and vomited when he did not rest.

"No indeed, I most certainly do not! Do you want to talk about something while you are waiting?" Fili asked and sat down next to Kili who shrugged and bit his lip like he usually did when he was thinking up some kind of a plan.

"Fili, do you want to pull a prank on someone? Because I just thought of a good one."

"Sure, but who is the victim in mind?"

Kili's eyes took on a glint and mischief and slowly a grin that looked like the one he had given their mother so many weeks before crept across his face.

"Mum." was the answer. Fili's own eyes began to sparkle and he returned to grin with a chuckle. _Things are getting back to normal. My cheerful, pranking, wonderful brother is resurfacing after all we have been though, and thank Eru for that!_

"Nice choice, now what are we going to do to our poor unfortunate mother?"

"Well, first we are going to wait 'til tonight, because it would be no fun to do it now while she is tired and hungry." Kili said and Fili nodded. Last time they had done that, it had not ended well for either the Dwarf woman or the pranksters. That had been a night to remember…

Fili shook himself from the memories as Kili sat up, leaned over against him, and rested his head on Fili's shoulder. Fili put his arm around Kili and rubbed circles on his brother's back bringing a sigh of comfort from the Dwarf. They stayed in that position for a little time just being close to each other and thankful that things turned out the way they had. After all, Kili could have died then and there on the battle field or before anything could be done about his condition, and then there was Fili, who kept wondering why the Orc had gone for his side instead of his neck or straight through his back. Maybe it was just luck, or maybe there was something they had yet to complete in life, but whatever the case was, they were just glad to be alive, together, and on the mend, for together they could stand against anything they wanted, perhaps even the world if it turned as a foe to them.

Kili finally pulled back and said, "I almost went to sleep like that, save the fact that I am way too hungry to sleep. Come on, brother, let's go shall we?"

"You said it!" Fili replied and Kili laughed.

"I know I did, now come on."

"Ha, ha, ha. Very funny Kee." Fili stood and this time when he offered his hand Kili accepted with a smile and did not let go and Fili's hand. Together, they crossed the room and stepped into the hall way, making their way down to the Dining Hall for their well-earned meal before the prank was to be set up. _He did not even tell me what we are going to do, silly goose! Ah well, I will be finding out won't I?_

_**A/N**_** You'll be finding out too! Fluff in this story. Me loves fluff! Pronounce Bainard's name like: Bay-nard, and in case you were wondering, yes he was a very good friend of theirs and mourned the rest of his life after they died. He was about twenty when they left for Erebor. I know, you want me to shut up. Thanks to leggomygraggo2, Mira Meliandra, jaymzNshed, Apophis god of chaos, Syblime, and Rebecca for inspiring me to get back to writing! I could give you all a very big hug! That goes for all of you who wish to remain quiet! Please review and enjoy Reviews make Kili and Fili smile!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

*Kili*

Kili felt like he had neglected the hobby which earned him his nickname of The Dwarf Prank Mastermind. Yes, Kili had begun to think of pranking someone as a hobby. _I've been__** not **__pranking anyone for far too long and it is time to make a comeback! _he thought as he and Fili entered the room that everyone ate in.

After a brief meal, for Kili still could not eat too much, he and Fili strode down the hall to where Dis would be living. The room was not a long distance from the room where they slept and so they hurried down the hall until they were right outside the door.

"Oaky, Kee. What happens now?" Fili asked and Kili looked at him quizzically, than he remembered that he had not told his brother what the prank was. So, after he had mentally thumped himself on the head, he filled Fili in on the details. The elder of the two nodded with a grin and they set to work on their fine plan.

It was relatively simple. The door partially propped open while they set to work securing a bucket of slightly warm water above it. Fili and Kili were very good at doing this type of thing in record time and in the Blue Mountains, no one was ever faster than the two of them when they put their heads together. When they had added a few finishing touches, they quickly disappeared from sight and shut the door to their room not even bothering to light a candle or a lamp. After a minute of waiting and holding their breath whenever anyone walked by, they were rewarded by a splash, but instead of a shouted curse, there was silence. Kili looked at Fili and bit his lip. Had the bucket just slipped from its perch? No, that was impossible, for it and been put there by The Dwarf Prank Mastermind and nothing like that had ever happened, or at least since when he was real young and too short to reach something.

They stood from their crouching position by the door and Fili began to pace. Kili bit a little too hard on his lip, and he tasted blood and when he wiped his mouth on his tunic sleeve, there was a trail of dark red staining the blue fabric.

Then there came a knock at the door.

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"I thought we were going to die back there!" Kili exclaimed and Fili full-heartedly agreed.

"I could almost see our heads on pikes by the time she was done. Next time we do that, what do you say to turning to childhood ways and hiding under the bed?" Fili asked. Kili laughed and leaned against Fili's shoulder for support. He was glad _Fili_ was his brother and not someone else. Most other brothers would get in arguments and he had heard tell and some royal brothers who would wage war upon each other because they both wanted to throne. Kili thought those princes were thoughtless and stupid and personally, he was glad he was not firstborn. He did feel sorry for Fili, because he know that responsibility laid heavily on his brother's mind and also because Fili had never wished to become a king. When they were young, Fili would talk about what he would do for the people when he was king, but at the time he had not known that king was really a heavy and long word. _Poor big brother! I wish I could somehow lighten his burdens!_ Kili thought as Fili ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Fili?" he asked.

"Yes, what is it Kili?"

"Is there any way to make you feel free?" Kili inquired and Fili's brow furrowed in puzzlement.

"What do you mean?"

"When you think about the future and you seem to feel trapped. Is there any way to free you?" Kili said. Fili nodded.

"How?" Kili desperately wanted to help his Fee.

"By being yourself, brother. When you do something like what we just did, you make the world brighter. Your smile breaks though any chains I may be bound by and your rebellious streak is a constant amusement. As long as you are you, I will be free. If you ever change, I will be drowned and forever lost to the joys of life." was the reply and Kili felt a lump develop in his throat.

"I won't ever change, Fee! I love you!" Kili said and hugged Fili, who laughed and hugged him back fiercely.

"And I love you, Kee. Don't you ever doubt that."

"Of course I won't doubt it, you old goat. What do you think I am a rabbit?" Kili said and Fili laughed harder.

"A rabbit?! Kili you are something else! And I am most certainly not an old goat, you jug head!"

"I'm going to show you what a jug head looks like, you nob head!"

"Oh yeah, well I'm gonna show you what a nob head looks like, you big blown up buffoon!"

"FILI OF DURIN'S LINE! IF I HEAR ANOTHER INSALT TO YOUR LITTLE BROTHER, YOU **ARE** GOING TO LOOK LIKE A NOB HEAD!" called a new voice. The two brothers looked at each other and silently agreed to go call each other names where Dis could not hear.

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Dinner was rather loud that night as there was a celebration over the return of the Dwarves to their homeland. Fili and Kili enjoyed themselves immensely, and Kili and even started a food fight by throwing a piece of cheese at Dis. Dis had slowly turned her head and glared at Kili, then had tossed a piece of _green stuff_ at him. Kili recoiled in horror as whatever it was landed next to him and he accidentally bumped Fili arm as his brother was trying to drink. Fili grabbed a handful of mashed potatoes and lobed it at Kili. It escalated from there when someone, Kili not sure who but he suspected his mother, threw a chunk of cake at Fili, which landed on his head and Fili declared war.

Ten minutes later, when they were done cleaning the dried food from their hair, they slept the sleep of the dead, and for some reason, when Kili awoke, he had a massive headache that Fili blamed on the ale they had drunk to much of the night before.

"I did have a good time, though. Better then when we were throwing food in Rivendell, and even better than at Bag End." Kili said.

"Agreed."

"Fili, you're the best big brother anyone ever had."

"You're the best little brother anyone ever had, now next time you push me, make sure I'm not drinking first."

"I did not push you, you cocky rooster you!" Kili defended himself.

"Kili, I'm not even going to say one word, you bilge rat!"

"You are a potato thrower, you idle blanket hog!"

"What does throwing potatoes have to do with this, you pillow licker!"

"What on earth or under it is a pillow licker?" Kili asked astonished and Fili shrugged.

"Well if the boot fits!" he said and tossed Kili's boot at him.

_**A/N **_**I do not know where pillow licker came from! That was incredibly random, believe me! Anyway, I hoped you liked this chapter. The next one is a bit later so I thought I might warn you guys. Thanks for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing. They really do make the young Sons of Durin smile; you should have seen them today when they were reading them! **


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

*Fili*

_One and a half years later…_

Standing on the balcony while the sun was shining brightly on the land scape was not helping the feeling that had been growing in Fili. He had been trying to shake it for the past three days, but nothing seemed to be helping. Kili was leaning on a pillar and gazing out in the distance where the sun was just beginning to set. West. What could possibly be in the West that interested both of them? Fili had the answer. The Shire and one small Hobbit who they were starting to miss very badly.

Fili turned away from the light and tapped Kili's shoulder inclining his head in the direction of the village of Dale. Over the last year and a half, Dale had been rebuilt very fast indeed. The streets were fixed and many people were living there again under the guidance of Bard.

"You want to take a ride out there, little brother? In the morning we could take our ponies and go for a gallop." he asked. Kili smiled gratefully.

"Yes, I do. I have been feeling the way we used to when we would go on a hunting trip for a few days." Kili said.

"The same thing goes for me. Come on, let's do something and maybe time will start to go faster."

Fili started down the hall with Kili by his side. After talking about random things and still feeling like an escape was needed, Fili began to despair that the next day would never come. Finally, though, it did.

They managed to get their ponies and, without telling anyone where they were going, took off across the plains. Kili challenged Fili to a race and Fili accepted. The sturdy little creatures were running neck and neck for a bit, and then slowly, Fili's pale silver mount began to pull away. Kili would not stand for that and he bent over the black mane of his steed, pushing the gelding a little harder. The pony snorted something that was probably very rude in horse language before lengthening his strides. When Fili saw Kili was gaining on him, he too leaned over his pony's neck, but not too hard. If he was to push the little mare past her limit, she would resort to kicking her speckled heels in the air and Fili was not feeling the need to land on the ground at that moment.

"Come on, gal! We can't let that bastered beat us, now can we?" Fili said to her and she turned one ear behind her as if to hear what her master had told her. Then both ears pressed back against her skull and the mare put on an extra bust of speed, crossing the two trees they had decided to be the finish line a whole length ahead of Kili. Fili pulled lightly on the reins until the pony slowed to a halt and Kili stopped his pony next to him.

"Durin, you are going to have to remind me not to challenge you since you chose her, my pony can't even think about catching up when she does that!" Kili said and dismounted his gelding. Fili slid off and patted his mare's neck before gently stroking her velvety nose.

"She just didn't want you pass her that's all. Isn't that right, Mabel?" Fili said and Mabel nudged him. Kili laughed as his pony nipped at his pockets.

"Here now, Coal! Just because I have pockets doesn't mean I brought anything for you."

Coal, not happy with that announcement, stamped his hoof and snorted rudely again, before nipping at Kili again. Kili jumped back rubbing his arm and muttering Dwarvish curses while Fili shook his head.

"How many times do I tell you not to let him do that? That is the third time this month he has bitten you."

"I know how many times he's bit me. I'm the one getting bitten here." Kili grumbled then going over to the saddle bag, avoiding Coal's mouth this time, drew an object out of it. With a grin he handed it over to Fili. It was a fiddle Kili had somehow managed to bring along and he seemed pleased with Fili's expression, for he laughed while bring out another fiddle from another saddle bag.

"How did you bring these on your pony?" Fili asked and Kili shrugged. Kili then sat on a stone slab with some moss in the cracks of its surface and began to tune his fiddle and then tighten the horsehair strung bow. As Fili began to tune his, Kili rose from his sitting position and, tucking the interment beneath his chin, drew the bow across the strings. The sound of the lone fiddle seemed to float through the air and Kili played another note and after he was sure all the strings were in tune, he started to play a lively jig. Soon Fili joined in and the song rolled over the plains making the brothers smile broadly at each other. After they had played the first part of the song twice, they began the second, which required Fili to pay more attention to what he was playing, for Fili's part now brought out the harmony. When the jig ended, Mabel nickered bobbed her head in a way that it appeared like she was nodding at them for more and Coal prick his ears as if wondering why the beautiful music stopped. Three more songs were gifted to all the creatures living on the surrounding area before the Dwarves decided to head back to Erebor.

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Dis was the first person they were met by. She had gone for a ride and had heard their music. Kili asked her why she was out alone and she answered that before the dragon came, she would run her pony across the land and sometimes would even go as far as Dale.

"I would come out here when Thorin was being a bother or when I had the need to worry everyone half to death." The last part was said with a meaningful glance at Fili and Kili.

"Sorry, but we just had to get out of the mountain for a little." Kili said and Fili looked at Dis who nodded saying, "I know the feeling. Next time, though tell either me or your uncle when you are going out here."

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"Kee, I just can't stand it anymore!" Fili said, dropping his head in his hands. "We have got to go somewhere or do something."

"Agreed, but what do we do and where do we go?!" Kili said sounding rather frustrated. Then Kili slammed his hand down on the bed side table, setting his jaw firmly. Fili looked at his little brother and saw the signs of recklessness but more restlessness then he ever remembered of Kili looking. Kili stood and Fili followed suit.

"Where are you going?" Fili asked.

"To ask Thorin something!" Kili answered as he stormed out of the room.

_**A/N **_**Dang cliffhangers! Oh well I hope you liked it! Please review! Fili is smirking in a corner with Kili sleeping with his head on Fili's shoulder. I've got some tired Durins here…**

**Dance With Dragons is the song I pictured Fili and Kili playing, if you want to know.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

*Kili*

Kili had felt restless before, but this was the first time he was _frustrated_ the feeling was so strong. He stormed out the room and stomped to where he could find Thorin not even caring if he disturbed anything.

"Uncle, I've got to speak with you!" he said and Thorin raised an eyebrow.

"Do you? What is on your mind sister-son?"

Kili hesitated for a moment under Thorin's gaze, but quickly recovered his nerve.

"Fili and I want to go off by ourselves for a while, a _very_ long while."

"How far do you wish to go, and how long a while?" Thorin questioned. Fili somehow must have known what Kili was thinking and answered, "To Hobbiton, and however long it takes us to get there."

"I see the two of you have set your minds on this trip. What will you do if I decline your request?"

"With all due respect sir," Kili said, "we'd go anyway. We have to!"

"When will you start?"

That caught Kili by surprise. He was expecting one huge argument, and Thorin had just agreed. Well, maybe not exactly, but he thought there would be an argument or a flat out "no". Fili must have been shocked too, because when they looked at each other, his expression was slightly confused.

"Um, well how soon will we be able to go?" Fili asked then.

"Tomorrow afternoon, Thranduil will be coming here. I cannot say why it is he wishes to come, but I would prefer it if you were here. After all, his son is accompanying him so it would be better if you were here as my heirs. At least, you, Fili, must be present." Thorin said and Kili made a face.

"Why on earth would **he** be coming! All he can do is slouch lazily in his throne or ride his elk."

"Ha, yeah and complain about something that happened over a hundred years ago." Fili said then added to Thorin, "Do you think we could leave this Saturday?"

"Perhaps. Have you spoken to your mother about this?"

_Oops! I forgot about her. How would we even start to say anything to Mum? _Kili thought, then found the answer to the major problem his uncle had just uncovered.

"Not yet, but Fili's going to."

"I am?! Kili, I think it's your turn to tell her we're going to disappear for half a year."

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"That went better than expected." Kili commented and Fili nodded. To say that Dis was worried would be a great understatement. In truth, Kili had almost thought they should not have told her and let Thorin explain it when they could not be found anywhere, then he realized that defiantly would not have been the best alternative in Middle Earth.

"It was almost as if she already knew we were going tell her that. Strange how she does that." Kili said and Fili replied, "It's not too surprising when you take in the fact that she has had to live with us and our ideas all our lives."

Kili laughed and threw his arm around Fili's shoulder declaring, "I can't believe we are really and truly doing this! We're gonna have the times of our lives!" Fili smirked and ruffled Kili's hair before giving him a small push which Kili returned harder until they were shoving each other across the hall and laughing like two Dwarves that had had too much ale to drink and Kili laughed harder when he give Fili an extra hard push that sent the elder on the floor. Fili rose to his feet looking every inch a future king, majesty flowing in every move he made as he slowing approached his little brother who suddenly sobered when he noticed the way Fili was coming towards him. Kili swallowed. The last time Fili had looked this way, Kili had ended up eating a piece of paper*.

"Um, Fee… I'm sorry? Could you stop that?! It's kind of scary." Kili said, but Fili paid him no heed still walking slowly until he was standing directly in front of Kili. Kili gulped visibly then, turned around and made of the nearest storeroom which was on the other end of the hallway. He could hear Fili right on his heels and he hoped Fili wouldn't catch him before he could reach safety, but it was too late when Fili gripped his shoulder and spun Kili around to meet his doom.

"Kili, youngest son of the daughter of Thrain, what have you to say for yourself?" Fili said giving Kili a glare that he seemed to have inherited from their uncle.

"I am so terribly sorry, my brother."

"Maybe we should wait until you are older before we go anywhere." Fili said and Kili eyes widened in horror.

"How much older are you thinking?" Kili asked almost in a panicked way.

"About a few hours older. We are going after Thranduil leaves, because if we don't, I fear for the safety of everyone in Erebor."

"After then? Tomorrow?! Fili, you have almost never made a better decision!" Kili exclaimed hugging Fili. Fili hugged him back and once again Kili felt the feeling he always got when Fili hugged him, the strange comfort that reminded him of Fili's promise that he had made so many years ago. Kili could feel his brother's heart beating against his chest and he almost sighed with the comforting closeness of Fili.

"I am dreading Thranduil. I hope his elk breaks its leg and he has to walk here, but it would be alright to see Legolas. After all, I was sleeping when he came here last." Fili said and Kili thought of that time, that seemed ages ago but was just over one year ago, when the Elf princeling had visited Kili after The Battle of The Five Armies. _Yeah it would be okay to see him again, but his father, well…maybe not so much!_

"So am I, come to think of it. I wish he wasn't so…so…"

"Stupid." Fili finished and Kili shrugged, "I was not going to say **that**, but oh well. We'll be taking the ponies, right?"

"Of course, unless you want to walk all the way across the map and before you ask, yes it will probably be winter by the time we get there." Fili replied.

"Okay, so we want to play it smart for once, and bring a little more than the clothes on our backs." Kili said, grinning at Fili with a fiendish delight shining in his eyes. They were going on an adventure, trekking across Middle Earth by themselves with no-one to bother them. Free as the winds that blow around the mountain and pull the clouds across the sky.

_**A/N **_**I apologize for taking so long! This week was killer busy and this would have been done yesterday, but I had music lessons and the world needed to be saved and the list just goes on and on. Fili, Kili and I would like to thank: leggomygreggo2, Mira Meliandra, Syblime, jaymzNshed, Rebecca, and Apophis god of chaos for their wonderful reviews and support! And hey! All you people who favorite and follow! Thanks a million and I hope to see some reviews 'cause I really need them, and there should be a box down there somewhere…**

***This is a hilarious story from when Fili and Kili where six and seven years old. Should I write it or not? Review to give your answer :)**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

*Fili*

This was, of course, not Fili's first time appearing as heir to the throne, but each time it was like the first. He felt nervous and a little jumpy when he heard that Thranduil was only an hour or so away._ You've done this before and you'll do it again, so you might as well try and get used to it! _he scolded himself, but the case of nerves was being persistent. Kili seemed slightly off-set himself turning his head quickly at every little noise and jumping when anyone spoke to him. Dis smiled when she saw the look on her firstborn's face and laid a gentle hand on his arm.

"Fili, Love, you'll be fine. You won't need to say a thing." she said brushing his braids over his shoulders and putting her arm around him.

"I know, Mum. It's just that I don't like doing this."

"Neither did Thorin, but he became used to it after a bit. You should have seen him when Thror asked him to be present at something for the first time. Now," she continued after placing a kiss on Fili's cheek, "Go to your brother before he starts to hyperventilate."

Kili looked as if he were about to hyperventilate. His face was white, his eyes were wide and his breathing came quicker than it should. Fili walked over and draped his arm around his brother's shoulders and Kili leaned against him.

"Are you nervous, Kee?" Fili asked although he already knew the answer.

"Yes, I am. And I wish this was over!" Kili moaned laying his head on Fili. Fili smirked and gave him a squeeze before saying, "You should braid your hair sometime, Kili."

"No."

"Yes."

"I don't want to and that's that!"

"Okay, okay. I was just saying."

"For the thousandth time. Fili, I thought of something funny we could do." Kili said with a troublesome grin.

"What did you think of? Dropping a pail of syrup on Thranduil's head?" Fili asked and Kili shook his head although his smile grew wider at Fili suggestion.

"That would be fun, but I was thinking, you know how they'll probably go in that one room? Well, you, Legolas, and I will be sitting at that smaller table facing each other, so I was thinking; could we get Legolas to smile without Thorin noticing?"

"Ah, so you are going to try to make an Elf smile, eh? That'll be great!" said Fili.

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The Elves entered Erebor in a group of seven. Thranduil first, then Legolas and five soldiers followed behind. The guards where led by a female Elf who wore dark green apparel and no helmet over her fiery red hair. To Fili, she looked slightly familiar so perhaps he had seen her in the palace, but then at the time, he would not have noticed, for the worry that he would be separated from Kili had been the biggest issue on his mind.

As was anticipated by two young Dwarves, Thorin and Thranduil headed for "The Room". Fili and Kili walked side-by-side following Thorin while Legolas paused in his stride to give an order in his own tongue to the red-head who, in turn, give it to the other guards and they all halted. Once the orders were given, the prince hastened back to his place behind his father, but chanced a glance at Fili and Kili and Kili flashed a quick smile at him.

When Thranduil and Thorin were seated at their table and the three princes at theirs, Fili bit back a sigh and looked down at the table studying the swirls in the wood and forgetting about Kili's idea. That is, until he glanced over at his brother and saw what he was doing. The young Dwarrow was staring at Legolas with those heart-melting large eyes and when Legolas got the feeling that he was being watched and looked up, the Elf blinked then turned to look at Fili as if for an answer for Kili's strange behavior. Fili shrugged and looked back at Kili. When he had Legolas's attention again, Kili crossed his eyes and grinned idiotically making his appearance look like one who had gone completely mad.

"Are you alright?" the pail-haired princeling mouthed and Kili just made another face at him. Toward the end of the kings' discussion though, Kili's display of all the things he could do with his face paid off and Legolas smiled holding a hand over his mouth to stiff a chuckle.

Just before they departed, Legolas came to speak with Kili and Fili.

"For a moment, I thought you had gone quite mad." he said and Kili laughed.

"I was just trying to have you smile and that I did. You know, you didn't really meet my brother now did you?"

"No, I guess you could say I did not. Hello Prince Fili, I hail you as one crown prince to another." Legolas said turning to Fili.

"Hello. I'd prefer to hail you as one friend to another, if I may be as blunt as that. And I rather just be known as Fili the son of Dis." Fili replied, bowing in the fashion of the Dwarves.

Legolas smiled, "Then Fili I shall call you." Then he said, "I have someone who would like to meet you both."

He snapped his fingers twice and the she-Elf came and stood sharply at attention, until Legolas said something to her and she relaxed.

"Fili and Kili of Erebor, this is Tauriel of the Mirkwood realm."

The Elf woman nodded her head slightly at them and said, "Pleased to make your aquatints. I had wished to see you when you were in our halls, but you left before I could." Kili swallowed and signed in Iglishmek, _Wow that is one beautiful woman!_ Fili stilled the urge to sign back, _You think every woman is beautiful, you nobhead! _

"Uh, h-hello! I am very glad to have met you Lady Tauriel." Kili managed to say and Fili rolled his eyes. _Here he goes again!_ he thought.

"I am no lady. But come, I wish to ask you some questions. What is your favorite weapon, Kili?"

"A bow." Kili replied and Tauriel raised an eyebrow.

"A bow? How did you come to choose this, for it is an unusual weapon for a Dwarf?"

_**A/N**_** Sorry they haven't gone yet. They would have, but for some reason I added Tauriel when I wasn't going to and she took up all my time. I hope you liked it and so do the boys who are both sleeping this time. Oh dear, I hate to wake them up when they look so peaceful. Please review, because for some reason, I AM LOSING THE INSPIRATION! I really want to finish is fic but I am running out of ideas and Fili and Kili are too bored to give me any! Still, fifteen chapters is farther than I ever thought I'd get and all those Favorites and Follows amaze me. PLEASE GIVE THE DURIN BOYS SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT!**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

*Kili*

The more Kili talked with Tauriel, the more he began to like her. He found that she not only exceled in archery (of course), but also she could wield duel blades. For some reason, whenever anyone said they could duel wield, Kili found himself thinking of Fili.

In approximately fifteen minutes, the Elves would be leaving for their land. Kili scrambled his mind for a way to continue his conversation with Tauriel and found that something was missing. He glanced over his shoulder and saw nothing. Then he turned in a full circle and still could not find what he was looking for.

"Master Dwarf, is something the matter? Have you lost anything?" Tauriel asked with a slightly puzzled expression on her flawless features.

"Yes, I have." Kili replied still looking about him.

"What have you lost?"

"My brother! He's left me! I've got to get Fili!" Kili exclaimed. Tauriel smiled, her green eyes sparkling when she remembered how close she had heard the Dwarf princes were.

Kili, suddenly very alarmed, searched the crowd and found Ilay in a corner. He walked towered her and she lifted her head at his approach.

"Hi, Kili." she greeted then she added after she saw the look on his face, "What's the problem, my prince?"

"Don't call me that and have you seen my mother's son?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I have. He's standing right in front of me."

"Not that one, the other one! Have you seen the crown prince? Durin's beard, Ilay you knew who I was talking about!" Kili grumbled.

"When you say 'my mother's son', Kili, that could mean either one of you two bastereds, not just your brother. And yes, I have seen him, he's over there, and don't tell me you are planning to get in a battle again without bringing me along for the fun!" Ilay said and Kili had to grant her respect, for the only other person he knew who could say all that in one breath was Dis.

"Thanks. No, we are not planning on it, but we'll let you know if we do." Kili said, flashing her a cheeky grin. Ilay growled in response and glared at his retreating form muttering some frightful things in Khudzul for which she was well known for.

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"Well, what do you know? Kili can leave a woman when he realizes his brother has disappeared." Fili said with a smirk when Kili tapped him on the shoulder and he saw who it was. Kili gave him a dark look.

"Thanks for sneaking off like that." Kili said.

"You're welcome. Now, you look as if an idea has hatched in your head and I would like to know what it is."

"Do you think we could leave with the Elves? We'll be going soon anyway and so are they."

"Hmm. I see nothing wrong with that, but I doubt Thranduil will like it very much." Fili said.

Kili frowned slightly then suggested, "But what if we don't tell everyone? Say maybe Legolas and T-someone else. Do you think that might work?" Fili grinned.

"Maybe. But tell me, if we do tell Legolas and 'someone else', who is that someone? A random guard who cares nothing for us and our actions, or one red-haired captain who is interested in the ways and customs of our people? Come and tell me, Kee?" Fili interrogated.

"Fine, just Legolas then!" Kili exclaimed, feeling his face go a bit red and looking down at the floor. Fili's hand lifted his chin gently and he said in Khudzul, "**Brother, do you like this **Tauriel***? If so, do not try to hide it from me. Tell your brother.**"

"**I guess I do like her. Fine, if you do not believe me, I like her a lot!**" Kili replied and Fili smirked again shaking his head.

"My poor little brother has been taken captive by the immortal beauty of an Elf!"

For that comment, Fili received a shape jab to his ribs.

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The Elves had left Erebor and in fifteen minutes, Fili and Kili would be too. Kili was so excited about going that he forgot his disappointment when Tauriel had to leave without saying goodbye.

Before they left, they had to locate a few Dwarves. One by the name of Thorin King and the other, Lady Dis. Kili knew say goodbye to his mother was going to be hard and he knew he would miss her and she would miss them both very badly, but the trapped feeling almost had him think he was wearing a noose around his neck. One glance at his brother told him Fili was feeling the same tight sensation. Kili walked beside his bother going from place to place in the fortress city looking for the woman who gave them life. The people whom they asked all said the same thing, all bowing to their princes.

They looked like princes at that moment. Both stepping at the same time and with silver circlets studded with diamonds and emeralds around their heads. Fili's had a ruby in the front of his to identify him as the first heir to the throne, while Kili's had two sapphires slightly larger than the diamonds on the on either side of small ruby. The two sapphires showed that he was second heir and the ruby symbolized the bond he shared with his brother. Fili had order it that way, and when he told Kili what the ruby meant, Kili could not stop himself from launching into Fili's arms. They were not wearing their fine clothes, though. It only made sense not to because of the journey they were about to depart on.

Finally, after five minutes of searching, they found Dis in a hallway just standing and staring at a bench.

"Mum? Are you okay?" Kili asked and Dis nodded.

"I'm fine, Dark One. Do you know what this is?" she asked and they both shook their heads, so she said, "This is the very spot I met your father. Loving, dearest Fain, son of no one brother to no one." When she said that Kili suddenly felt a calm feeling wash over him at the thought of the dwarf he had never met. The way Dis said his name told of the longing and pain she still felt for her dead husband and now her sons, the only thing she had left of him, were leaving her once more.

"Mother, we are going soon." Fili said.

"Now?"

"No, but real soon." Kili answered. Dis nodded slowly.

"Then you have come to say goodbye."

"Yes, we have."

Dis pulled them both to her and laid her head first on Fili's shoulder, then Kili's. They wrapped their arms around her and she closed her eyes taking a deep breath.

"Goodbye, my lovely children. May the sun shine on your path a Mahal guide you to your destination and back to me. Bless you with love, for the road that you go." Dis said then, placing a kiss on each of their cheeks, pulled back from them.

"Bye Mum. We'll be fine, I swear that we will return just as we leave." Kili said, his grin back on his face.

"Mum, I promise that Kili won't try to drown himself, chase rabbits down their holes and try to crawl in after them, or kick a bees nest. I will keep him from doing anything too stupid." Fili said. Dis laughed.

"Well, I should hope he still doesn't chase rabbits down their burrows!"

"I only did that once! I was five years old. Can't you ever forget that?!" Kili growled and Fili shook his head.

"No, never little brother. It was just too funny when you tried to go in, and then couldn't come back out!"

"I'll get my revenge! I'm warning you!" Kili said. Dis suddenly looked saddened and said, "You should be going, boys."

Thorin was easier to find and soon, after they said farewell to him, they packed their things, including their circlets because Kili wanted to show them to Bilbo, on a smaller pony named Myrtle after the one that Bilbo had ridden before the Wargs had made them all bolt. Then they saddled Mabel and Coal and set off out of the Lonely Mountain, passed though Dale and out into the lands beyond.

"Fili, this is a day to remember." Kili said.

"Yes, it is Kee, it is."

"And Fili?"

"Yeah?"

"Love you."

"I love you too, little brother."

"Always."

"Always. Until the world ends and forever after."

_**A/N **_**Yay! They are so happy now! I managed to pull it off, finally, but look for another really, really soon! Fili and Kili went outside today because, miracles of miracles, it got over 40 degrees and killed some Orcs that were annoying them. Lol, the Orc were my little sister and later a couple of highschoolers. And Lady Hobbit :D! Your review had Kili on the floor, until he read your, um, "evil suggestion" (those were Kili and Fili words, not mine)about them and decided to stay closer to Fili then he already had been. Review some more to keep this little story going! **

***her name is not in bold because he did not say it in Dwarvish. There is a certain way to pronounce each name and the language and, begin an Elvish name, Tauriel has no pronunciation in Khudzul. **


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

*Fili*

The clear, bright blue sky and the scent of the earth and green grass filled Fili with a kind of peaceful calm. Kili laughed at something unknown and tapped Coal with his heels bringing the pony to a canter. Mabel nickered, pulling slightly on the bit, wishing to go faster, but waiting for her master's command. Fili glanced back at Myrtle and saw that she too, was eager for a faster pace, so he patted Mabel's silver neck and loosened the reins.

Kili was smiling very widely with a spark gleaming in his dark eyes.

"Feeeee! I can't believe we are finally doing something just on our lonesome! This is amazing!" he said, half shrieking his brother's nickname. Kili's high spirits were contagious and soon Fili was smiling and laughing at something either of them knew anything about. They slowed the ponies after a little while, but Coal was as friskily as a foal during its first snowfall and, without a warning, gave a kick jolting Kili. Then the troublesome little thing bucked and Kili had to grasp Coal's mane to keep from falling off. Mabel shook her head at her fellow companion's antics as if she disapproved of such behavior.

Finally, Kili was able to get his mount back under control and glared at Fili when he made a poor attempt to keep from laughing at his little brother's disheveled appearance. After about an hour or so of riding, they reached a part of a small forest that connects to Mirkwood.

"Okay Kili. Do we go through Mirkwood, or around it?" Fili said halting right before the tree line. Kili look at the forest and thought of Tauriel. He would like to see her again. Then he looked at Fili and thought of the spiders. Fili, when they were young, used to have a very strong fear of the hairy creatures and he still hated them. If they went through Mirkwood, they would most certainly encounter the spiders of monstrous size that inhabited the forest and this time they might not be as lucky as to escape. Then there was Thranduil. Kili did not trust him in the least and he knew Fili did not either. They both did not know how the Elven King would react to them crossing his realm, especially if they had been among Thorin Oakensheild's companions when he had imprisoned them. But then again, they were princes now…

"We go around." Kili decided and Fili breathed a sigh of relief. He really did not want to see those spiders ever again and the very thought of the horrendous beings made him shudder. The image of Kili being dragged away flashed through his mind and he looked over at his little brother who smiled and turned his pony's head.

"Let's spend all the time we can get. After all, Uncle never gave us a deadline so really, we can take all the time we want as long as we do come back. Plus, we might get to pass by Moria."

"Moria. We could see the Mirrormere, but I don't think I would want to stay there."

Recently, they had been told that Thrain once had two sons. Thorin was, of course, the eldest, but Ferein had been seven years older than Dis. When Fili asked why they had never been told before, their mother had told them that he had been killed in the battle before Moria. Ten minutes after the battle, Fain had told her she must come quickly and had just been able to answer to riddle he had given her and say farewell to her beloved brother before he died.

"No, I don't want to stay there at all. The very thought that Azog lived there is revolting to me."

"Agreed."

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They continued on with some silence for quite a while until the sun began to set and they agreed to camp down for the night in a small circle of trees. They dismounted and Kili made a comment about being sore in the morning as they undid the saddle girths and slid the saddles off Mabel, Coal, and Myrtle's backs. Then they took the bridles off of the ponies' head and put halters on them tying lead ropes to the metal rings on each of the halters and then tied each pony to its own tree. After they were tied, Fili and Kili brushed them down gently so the creatures would not itch where the saddles had been on their backs all afternoon.

"Well, what do you want to do now?" Kili asked settling down at the base of a tree. Fili shrugged and absently pulled his knife out of one his gauntlets and balancing its handle on his finger until it fell and stuck point down in the ground next to his boot. He picked it up and threw it at a knot in the trunk of another tree across from him and the blade sunk dead-center in the gnarled wood. Kili glanced at it and unsheathed his dagger and also threw it at the knot. It hit just below where he had aimed. Fili retrieved both weapons and handed Kili's back to him.

"If you were to stand up and throw, you would probably have a better chance of hitting your mark." Fili said and Kili shook his head.

"Are you hungry Fili?" he asked.

"Yes, I am. Kee, do you.." Fili started to say when Kili jumped suddenly to his feet and shouted, "Ha, I see you, you rogue!" Then leaped on top of a large slab of rock that was off to one side of the clearing, and, snapping a twig off one of the branches hanging over his head, brushed a large wolf spider on to the ground.

"This is my rock. Now go chase my brother before I squash you!" Kili said and the spider seemed to hear his threat, because it began its journey over toward Fili. Fili stared at the eight-legged horror and took one step backward, and then the spider scurried quickly at the Dwarf. Fili skirted around the open space as fast as he could and jumped on to The Rock of Kili exclaiming, "Kili, that thing is listening to you! Make it go away, please!"

"I must say I did not think it would really follow my command." Kili mused as the spider crawled after Fili once more then continued, "But I did say I would get my revenge and I guess my little friend decided to do it for me."

"Revenge for _what_?!" Fili asked pushing Kili in front of him.

"Revenge for bringing up you-know-what again." Kili replied.

"Oh, well I'm sorry! Now, please make it go away!"

Kili considered his brother's plea before turning to the spider and addressing it, "Okay, Master Spider, my brother has had enough of your teasing."

But Master Spider did not comply what had been asked of him and still continued his quest to terrify Fili. Kili stepped off the rock and walked until he stood before the wolf spider.

"Hello there. Yes, um, you can leave Fee alone now. Mister Spider! Did you not hear me?" In answer, the creepy crawly bolted up to Kili, ran up the toe of his boot and promptly bit it.

"Hey! That does it, you rebellious thing! If you can't do what you are told more than once, you are going to pay for it." Kili, but it looked to Fili like the critter was in no mood to be kept from its original task when it headed farther up Kili's boot and bit it again. Kili glared at it and the spider seemed to glare back at him.

"Just kill it already!" Fili said watching the proceeding antics of spider verses Dwarf.

"I'm giving you one last warning, sir. Get off my boot and leave my big brother alone, or there will be consequences." Kili said and the spider just stared at him with all its eyes. Kili bent and flicked it off then stepped on it declaring, "And so ends a friendship approximately one minute long."

Fili shook his head. Why Kili did not just do that to begin with, he did not know. He was about to make a comment when his attention was caught by a quick movement in a tuft of tall grass. No, it could not be! But, there it was, his perfect way to get back at his brother for the spider scare. Fili went after his prize, but it moved out of reach so he grabbed at it again.

"Uh, Fili? What are you doing?" Kili asked behind him. Fili snatched the small animal up and turned to Kili.

"Kee, this is someone I found. Say hello to Master Garden Snake." he said as he held the little thing out to Kili. His little brother's eyes grew wide as he looked upon the scaly thing and then his face paled as Fili stepped closer to him.

"S-stop it Fili! It's not funny, please, take it away!"

Fili heard the hint of desperation in Kili's tone of voice and immediately became serious. Kili's fear of snakes out did Fili's distaste of spiders by a long shot and Fili remembered last time a snake had crossed Kili's path when he was not looking. That memory made Fili even more sober as he walked away from Kili and let the little creature go free. Then he returned to Kili's side and wrapped his arms around his brother's slightly shaking shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Kili."

Kili buried his head in Fili's cloak shoulder and gave a muffled reply. After standing there like that for a minute or so, Kili suggested supper again and Fili full heartedly agreed. When the meal of venison and some bread that they had brought with them was over, Kili set to work whittling a stick for an arrow shaft while Fili sharpened one of his swords and by the time its twin was done, Kili had fallen asleep with his back still against the tree. Fili smiled when he saw the position Kili was in. He walked over to their packs and fetched Kili's bedroll and spread it on a flat place on the ground next to the fire then carried his brother over to it. Fili laid Kili down carefully and draped a blanket over him then folded Kili's cloak up and gently lifted his head so it could be used as a pillow.

Later, Fili too bedded down for the night next to Kili and when he woke up in the later hours of the night, Kili had rolled over in his sleep until his head was on Fili's chest. Fili sighed in comfort stroking Kili's dark locks until he fell back into a deep slumber.

_**A/N**_** Almost 2,000 words in this chapter! Wow, I guess I had fun writing it. I hope you all liked it and please review! Pretty please? **

***uses Kili's puppy eyes for better reaction* **


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

*Kili*

Kili forgot where he was when he woke up. He looked around and saw the ponies, but no Fili. Scrambling to his feet, Kili's sharp eyes scanned the area looking for traces to where his brother might have gone. Mabel was missing too, but the other ponies were untouched.

"Fee? Fili, where are you?" Kili called softly, but there was no reply. He walked around the camp for any signs of Fili and saw the tracks of a pony heading north. Kili thought about waiting for Fili to return from where ever he had disappeared to, but another thought quickly replaced it. What if his brother was hurt somewhere and Mabel had run off without him? What if Fili had run into trouble and needed help from Kili? The young Dwarf grabbed up his bow and quiver slinging them over his shoulder after sliding and his securing his sword in its sheath and hurried over to where Coal was tied. For a moment he was unsure of what to do with Myrtle, but then he decided to move her to another tree so she could have fresh grass to eat and head on without her.

Coal seemed to be in a melancholy mood for a change and stood patiently while Kili saddled and bridled him. Kili leaped in to the saddle and kicked his heels into the gelding's flanks silently praying that Myrtle would not nicker for her friends and that Fili was all right. The chestnut- brown mare did not whinny after them and for that Kili was grateful.

Following Fili's trail was hard in some places where vegetation covered it. Kili spotted a quick movement ahead of him, but instead of speeding up after it, he slowed Coal and dismounted grunting as his stiff muscles protested to his sudden action. He led Coal carefully along for a little until he saw something that made his heart hammer in his chest and he blinked, but the tracks remained the same, much to his horror.

On either side of the pony's hoofmarks, there were two sets of Orc foot prints.

"No." Kili breathed. No, the foul creatures could not have caught his brother. Fili was too good of a warrior for that, but maybe…

"No, that could not have happened. It would _never_ happen!" he told himself firmly, yet somehow a cold feeling was forming in his stomach. He shook his head, jumping back on Coal.

"If those foul creatures have so much as laid a finger on my brother, I swear in Durin's name I will…" But he was interrupted by a rustling in the undergrowth off to his right and Coal started as a frightened bird flew out of the bush alarming the woods with its shrill calls. _Good going Kili. Now everyone knows you're here!_ he thought bitterly. Of course it was not really his fault, but somehow he felt it was. After all, he had managed to let Fili leave him alone without feeling the absence of his missing kin.

_Why did Fili go in the first place?_ he was puzzled in that matter, for Fili would not just disappear without some kind of warning to Kili.

Coal suddenly halted snorting in a cautious manner twitching his ears back and forth. Kili felt a tingling feeling running down his spine and quickly turned in the saddle and look all around, but there was no sign of anything. Kili squeezed his knees against the black pony's sides and clucked his tongue at Coal, but the stubborn beast refused to move still with his head high in the air.

"Come on silly. There is nothing here." Kili said and as if to contradict him, there was a snap on the left behind him. Once again he turned only to see nothing at all. He was about to shrug it off as his imagination, when he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder like a bee sting. He looked down to see a kind of dart lodged in his flesh. Slowly, he touched it wincing at the pain and then he set his jaw and pulled. It came out as easily as it had gone in. Kili looked at it closely and saw the point, although it was very sharp and small, was hollow.

"Not good." he muttered and tossed it aside. He continued to push Coal, but still the pony would not move and finally he dismounted and was about to lead the animal. One step, however, and his world was sent spinning into motion. He heard the blood rushing in his ears as he crashed to the ground on his knees and felt his heart labor in his chest slowly as his vision faded in and out of focus with each beat, until, suddenly, he knew no more.

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His head hurt. His back hurt. Everything was burning. Why was he on fire?_ Ouch!_ he said to himself. Then a voice, thin and rasping cut though his mind.

"It's not dead, is it?" the voice hissed.

"No, now git out of the way!" a deeper grow answered and Kili landed on something hard and cold. _Ouch even worse!_ Kili thought then, _Where in the Abyss am I and who's talking about 'it'?_ His answer came in a different way he would have liked.

"Are you sure? It looks dead to me." the thin voice asked again to which the deep voice said, "Of course it's not dead! Look!"

At the end of the statement, Kili received a sharp, hard blow to his face. Pain shot through his head when his head ricocheted off something hard. He could not help the groan and he turned his head to the side.

"See?"

"I don't see anything." Kili grumbled then he forced his eyes open. He was in some kind of camp and, based on the creatures looking at him surprise, an Orc camp. His brother was not there and Kili would have breathed a sigh a relief if he was not tied in painful position against a tree that had a sharp piece of bark sticking into his back.

One of the Orcs was smaller than most, with a nose that looked like the owner had run into to many trees and a burn scar along the left side of its jaw. It was stooped and had a crooked foot, its skin was patterned with many scars, but the worst thing Kili could see was: half of its right cheek was ripped out. Kili swallowed and gave a half smile, why he did not know, but it seemed to confuse the Orcs more.

"Hello. Um, you wouldn't happen to know where my pet Warg went, would you?" Kili said. The reaction he got was so comical, he almost laughed. The larger Orc with bulging green eyes cocked its head to one side growling, "You don't have a Warg."

"Oh, yes I do. He ran off, but if he finds me here like this, he won't be very happy. No sir, he'll eat you very quickly and then…" he was silenced when the big fellow swung its meaty fist and hit Kili in his temple, almost knocking him out again.

Where was _Fili_?! Whatever the answer was, Kili hoped he would find him soon.

_**A/N**_** I am mean, aren't I? Fili and Kili are horrified at what I have done. I think they are going to do give me a piece of their minds here as soon as they thank: Mira Meliandra, Apophis god of chaos, leggomygreggo2, Lady Hobbit :D, Rebecca, Syblime, and jaymzNshed for their wonderful reviews and support! Please send Kili some hugs and Fili complements, because they want you to. They say so.**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

*Fili*

He had known about the Orcs. He had gone out to see if there was a stream nearby so they could get fresh water and had heard and seen them coming. Fili led them on a wild goose chase and when they gave up, he headed back to camp only to tell Kili they had to leave immediately.

When he arrived however, his brother was gone and so was Coal.

"No, Kili! You didn't!" Fili groaned. He dismounted the mare and let her nibble on the grass as he went to Myrtle.

"He left you here, didn't he, girl? I don't suppose you could point me in the right direction, though." He patted her neck and untangled a snag in her mane. Fili turned to his pony and clambered back into the saddle and began to head down the trail his outward journey had made.

The forest was quiet. All the birds had gone silent, which had begun to have Fili wondering if there was a storm brewing. He started to mimic a thrush's call in hopes that Kili would hear and answer. They had started doing that a long time ago when Kili was ten years old so they could find each other if they got separated somehow. The only times they had used it before, was on hunting trips and they needed to communicate without frightening their quarry. Silence was the only answer he received and he cursed in Khudzul, worry forming a knot in his abdomen. _Kili, if you're all right and you don't answer, I am __not__ going to be very pleased with you because it's not funny at all!_

Fili halted when he saw boot prints on the ground and got off Mabel to look closer. Kili. Most defiantly his little brother had come this way. And what if the Orcs had come this way too?_ Then he's most likely in trouble._ Fili took Mabel's reins and led her, keeping an eye on Kili's tracks. After a little time, Fili saw Kili must have gotten back on, but he stayed on foot to watch Coal's hoof prints. In a surprisingly short while, Kili had dismounted again. When Fili looked again though, he could see his brother did not get to where he wanted. There were marks where it looked as if his knees had hit the earth hard and the ferns were smashed like someone had fallen on them. Coal must have been startled out of his wits, for the ground was torn where…an Orc had stumbled after him.

So, his precious kid brother _had_ met the Orcs. If they had hurt him, which it was almost certain they had, there was going to be blood spilt. Fili frowned at the Orc tracks, as if that would give him answers to how they had taken Kili captive. There were no signs of a fight and there was no way the clumsy beings had snuck up right behind Kili to knock him on the head so he would be unconscious. Kili's hearing was too sharp for that, Coal's instincts would warn him if Orcs were that close, and those particular Orcs were certainly not the lightest on their feet. The short one maybe, but the big brute that had first seen Fili would be incapable of being that noiseless.

He saw the tracks had split up, as well. One, if his guesses were correct, it was the limping one, had gone after Kili's pony while the other had taken his brother. Fili decided to follow the Orc that appeared to have gone back to its camp. They could always hunt down Coal later and right now, Fili could not seem to shake the stories he had heard of Orcs treatment to their captives. The thought of his innocent little brother becoming a slave, made his blood boil. He had always been better then Kili at keeping his temper, but if anyone or anything hurt Kili or sometimes look at him the wrong way, Fili found keeping calm was not easy and now, he had more reason than ever to let his anger flare.

"When I find you, you scum; you are going to wish you never touched my little brother!" Fili said. He tied Mabel to a nearby tree and patted her neck saying, "You stay here now, gal. I'll be back soon."

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Dwarves are not the best woodsmen, but Fili, who had spent more of his life outdoors because of Kili's sincere love of nature, was better than most when it came to keeping quiet.

He followed the Orc's trail of broken sticks, smashed greenery, and the occasional blade hack marks in trees. Fili remembered the strange wizard they had met after the trolls had been turned to stone and figured that he would not be happy at all with the Orc's treatment of the living things. He continued on for a while or at least it felt like a while to Fili's stiff legs. _Why does riding a horse after you haven't in a while have to kill your legs!? It's not fair._ Fili thought.

A loud voice startled him and he halted. Dropping to the ground, he slowly advanced trying to not disturb the grass as much as possible. Fili stopped and peaked over the edge of a bank. There were the Orcs, arguing while Kili sat tied to a tree and looking quite pleased with himself. In fact, Kili looked so pleased that if he was not tied, a stranger might have thought he wanted to be right there.

"An' what are we gunna do with a mad Dwarfing?" the big Orc was saying.

"We could eat it. It can't taste that bad. An' then we can go find the yellow one and eat it too." the one with the crooked foot replied and Fili shuddered at the sound of its voice. It almost sounded like the time Kili had run his finger nails across a chalk-board to see what it sounded like. _If you dare touch Kili, you are going to so die! Well, you're going to die anyway, but it will be a lot more painful._ Fili thought. He pressed his lips together, trying to think of someway make one Orc come after him at a time, for he did not see how he could fight the big fellow and the small one at the same time. The small one would be easier to defeat, but the big one could take some time and Fili would need to concentrate on it alone and not have to make sure his back doesn't get stabbed at the same time.

"But-but kill me and you have to deal with my Warg!" Kili said in his '_I am innocent and you can't hurt me because I'm cute'_ tone of voice. Fili was wondering what Kili meant about a Warg when the small Orc turned to him.

"If you don't shut up, I'm gunna gut you. Stop smiling at me!" it hissed and raised it hand over its head.

"Hit me and you have to answer to my Warg!" Kili said quickly and Fili got it then. The Warg Kili was babbling about, was him. Kili was telling them his brother would find them and save him.

"Codak, leave it alone! If it's mad, it's going to sit there and act like the worthless scum it is." the large Orc said then turned to Kili and said, "Look 'er if you don't h've a Warg so shut your gob, unless you want me to brain you again." _You did hurt my brother. _The next thing Fili knew, he had stood and had his swords in his hands. 

"Hey, you warthog face buffoon!" Fili shouted pointing one of his blades at the big one, "You touch him again and you're vulture food!"

Kili turned toward him and grinned, "Hi Warg!"

"Hi." Fili said glancing at him then his attention turned to the one called Codak, for the Orc was reaching behind its back for something.

"Warg, look out! It's going to…" Kili started to say when Codak hit the side of his head. Fili slid one of his swords back into its sheath and made as if to put the other one back, but instead he pulled the throwing knife out of his gauntlet and hurled it at the short Orc. Kili cheered when the blade appeared in the side of Cadak's throat.

"Told you you'd have to answer to my Warg." he said in his know-it-all way. Fili smiled grimly when the other Orc looked at him. The Orc picked up its falled comrade's sword that had a hook on the end of it. When Codak had told Kili it would gut him, it had been serious. If this one were to stab Fili, twist, and pull, Fili was getting the feeling he would not live very long. He pulled his other sword back out and then the Orc charged.

_**A/N**_** And then…oh wait, that's the end of the chapter! Oops! I guess I'll just have to start writing the next one. :P Review, because if you don't…I do not know what Fili and Kili will do with themselves. It snowed again. Really. -_-**

**Thanks to: leggomygreggo2, Mira Meliandra, jaymzNshed, Alicia457, Syblime, Apophis god of chaos, and Lady Hobbit :D for reviewing and not letting me give up on writing. If any of you silent people out there want your names up here and Fili and his adorable little brother to smile. **


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

*Kili*

Personally, Kili thought the idea of being eaten was not very thrilling at all. He found the idea of his brother being eaten even less exhilarating. But he knew that if he kept his captors arguing, it would give Fili enough time to find them, and Kili knew exactly how annoying it was when your food was making a lot of noises (long story). Before his wonderful brother showed up, he had learned both Orcs' names. The small one was called Codak and the big one was Gluk. When Kili heard that name, he had a hard time keeping it together. _What kind of name is __**Gluk**__?! That's just ridiculous! _Kili was afraid that if he did not do something soon, he was going to burst out laughing and that could possibly be more painful then he wanted it to be; so he resorted to saying random things like, "Blue pony goes around in a circle" and, "Cat stew teats like hair" until the Orcs had come to the conclusion that he was completely mad.

Kili snapped back into the present when the sound of metal clashing together reached his ears. He struggled against his bonds till he was in a better position and he looked around wildly for his weapons, not that he would be able to do anything when tied to a tree. His bow and quiver were dropped in a pile across from him and Kili swallowed down his anger at the treatment of his beloved bow. His sword and dagger were next to the tree adjacent to the one rudely poking him in the middle of his back with a sharp piece of bark.

Fili and Gluk were battling it out on the top of the bank Kili had noticed, parrying blows and returning the strokes. Gluk was defiantly not has good as Fili, but its shear strength was still being put to good use. Kili watched as the Orc swung at his brother with all the strength it could muster, but Fili remembered his training and did not directly block, but instead held his sword so the Orc's blade would slide off rather than meet and tire Fili as much as it did Gluk.

In a blink of an eye, Fili found a weak spot in his opponent's defense and went for it. One blade bit into the Orc's side.

"This is what happens when you mess with _my brother_!" Fili said in Gluk's surprised face. Then he swung his other sword and cut off the despicable creature's head.

But Kili wasn't too happy when the severed head rolled down the bank and hit his boot.

"Aaaa! Get it away! Thanks a lot Fee!" Kili shouted, pulling as far away from the head as possible. Fili grinned, but he did knock the repulsive thing away. Then he went to the tree and cut the ropes that had been blocking the blood flow to Kili's hands.

"Oh, look!" Kili said holding his hands out in front of him, "I do have these wonderful things that come in handy."

"Oh Durin! Kili, really!"

"Ha, you're a poet and you didn't even know it."

Fili put his hands on his hips and gave Kili an exasperated look.

"Kili, it's not even afternoon yet, you have been captured by Orcs and the only thing you can do is make puns and point out my unintended riming." Fili said and Kili smiled.

"Well, would you rather me say 'this tree is killing my back, my hands feel like someone's trying to cut them off, and Orcs smell bad'?"

_**A/N **_**Sorry this is sooooo short, but I really hit a writer's block here. Sign your name in the box below to bop me on the head and have the ideas come back. Hey, at least they're together again and they can't be mad at me for that, though. You know something funny? After the last chapter, the reviews went up… **

**Anyway; leggomygreggo2, Alicia457, Mira Meliandra, jaymzNshed, Lady Hobbit :D, Akeea, GragsMadHatter, Wraven, Syblime, and Apophis god of chaos are the people currently receiving smiles from the boys and many thanks from this author. Please review so I can get over this stupid, stupid writer's block!**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

*Fili*

Of course Kili would be as lighthearted as to act like he had wanted to be there all along. Fili help his younger sibling to his feet and looked him over for injuries. Kili had a bruise on the side of his face, mostly covered by his wild hair, and the skin was broke a little where the ropes had rubbed on his writs but, other than that, he appeared to be just fine. His mood had not been affected in the least; that much was obvious.

Shaking his head, Fili started back up the bank and Kili followed before stopping and tapping Fili on the shoulder. Fili turned and Kili asked, "Do you have Coal somewhere?"

"No, brother. I'm sorry." Fili said.

"Hag it all! I wish he wouldn't do that! I guess now we'll have to find him."

"Well, it is really a good thing he did run off. If he didn't, the Orcs could have killed him. Which brings me back to wondering, how did you get caught in the first place?" Fili asked.

"Oh! I wouldn't him to have his throat slit and if he ever does have that happen to him, it would be because I lost my temper at him. How they got me? It is quite simple: darts." Kili replied.

"Darts? Tell on Kee."

"There's not much to tell. The little guy had a blow pipe and poison darts and I happened to be where they were." Kili said then muttered, "He got my shoulder, the bogger!"

Fili heard him, though. His first thought was to tease Kili about the childhood name for things he did not like, but instead he just laughed and continued on. After a short ways, they came to where Mabel was patiently chewing a mouthful of grass and untied her. She nickered softly and pushed against Fili's chest before nuzzling Kili.

"Hey," Kili said stepping back, "What's the matter with her?"

"You've been around horses enough. She is glad to see you." Fili replied and untied the mare.

"More like she going to scold me for losing her buddy." Kili muttered. His brother shook his head as he began to lead the pony back in the direction of their camp.

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When they reached the clearing where they had stayed the night, Myrtle was not alone. She had the company of no other then Kili's Coal. The black pony raised his head from a clump of grass and stared at them like he had been there the whole time and they had left him there.

"Coal! You fool creature!" Kili exclaimed and ran to his furry companion with a wide smile on his face. When he got to Coal, he flung his arms around the pony's neck then scratched behind the animal's ears. Coal looked at him, chewed his grass and gave Fili a glance as if to say, "Can you tell this thing to let go of my mane?"

Fili walked over and patted Coal's shoulder then went to Myrtle who had gotten one of her front hooves tangled in her lead rope. He lifted her foot and removed the rope then turned to Kili who was straightening a bridle strap where it had been rubbing.

"Kili, do you want eat something before we start on again?"

"Of course I do." Kili answered and Fili shrugged.

"Just asking. I already ate."

"When?" Kili asked.

"While you were sleeping. Now if you're to eat something, do so! I'll pack Myrtle."

Kili said something incomprehensible and Fili lifted a pack onto the gentle pony and secured it with the leather straps on either side while his brother sorted through the pack with dried food. When Fili was almost done, Kili joined him and helped with the straps of another pack with a smoked rabbit leg in his mouth. Fili glanced at him and then began to laugh. Kili gave a puzzled look and when he finish with his strap he took the leg out of his mouth and asked, "What is your problem, brother?"

"Nothing! It's just that you looked so funny like that!"

In response, Kili glared at him and made a face, but that only made Fili laugh harder.

"Alright! You can stop that now!" Kili growled, but Fili did not comply. Finally, when Fili was not looking at him, Kili pounced and tackled his elder brother in a heap. Fili grunted when he was suddenly on the ground with a very heavy weight on his back.

"Kili! Get off!" he gasped.

"No."

"Yes! Right now! Come on, you're too heavy!"

"No."

"All right, if that's the way you are going to be!" Fili said and rolled over until he was on top of Kili.

"Get off!" Kili said and Fili smirked.

"See?" he asked as he pushed himself up off his brother. Kili scowled at him, but accepted the help Fili offered and made one more face at his brother before clambering into Coal's saddle. Fili pulled himself in Mabel's saddle and took Myrtle's reins and handed them to Kili.

"Your turn to hold her." Fili said and Kili took them.

They started off once again and Fili hoped that something, like what had just transpired that morning, would not happen every day. He preferred not to see Kili captured by Orcs.

_**A/N **_**This took me a long time, and I'm sorry. At least it is longer than the last one. Part of my problem was…I was reading "The Sons of Durin: Goblin-Town" and it has hurt in it. Hurt is not what I need for writing, but I read it anyway. :/**

**Mira Meliandra, leggomygreggo2, GregsMadHatter, Alicia457, jaymzNshed, Lady Hobbit :D, Akeea, Wraven, and Apophis god of chaos still deserve hugs from me and the Durin boys. :) **

**Reviews are much appreciated and I hope you have a great week! **


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

*Kili*

Kili felt wonderful. _Nothing like waking up in the morning and having a close call to make you feel good!_ he thought as he rode next to Fili. It was quiet when they left the woods behind them, following the borders of Mirkwood and he wanted to break the silence that hung around them, so he started to hum. Fili looked at him and grinned them joined him. Before long they were singing:

"_Blunt the knives, bend the forks. Smash the bottles and burn the corks. Chip the glasses and crack the plates: That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!_"

They sung the whole song then began another one, but this one was in Khudzul and full of the Dwarves love of earth and stone. It had a kind of longing in it that one could feel in the air and Kili still marveled how he could control something like that. Mahal had indeed blessed the Dwarves.

Then they began a much different one in the Common Tongue, but it still had the longing although was no longer true. They had completed what the song said but it had started their adventure and they could never really forget it.

"_Far over the Misty Mountains cold, to dungeons deep and caverns old, we must away ere break of day to find our long forgotten gold…_"

"Fee, it seems like so long ago when that was sung last." Kili said.

"Feels good to hear it again, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it most certainly is good to hear it."

They rode on, mimicking bird calls and joking until they almost ran out of things to laugh at. Then Kili fell off his pony. He was not sure how, but it seemed the saddle's girth had come undone and so the whole thing slid off Coal's back and took the young Dwarf with it. Kili was almost stepped on by Myrtle, but luckily the mare saw him in time to hate. Coal shied a little, but also stopped. Fili jumped from his mount and went to Kili.

"Are you okay? How on earth did that happen?" he asked of his brother. Kili kicked the stirrups off his boots and got to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but I don't have a clue as to how that happened." Kili answered.

"For a moment, I was half afraid you would get to see how heavy Myrtle's foot could be, but I guess you didn't."

"I was too busy wondering where the horse went."

Fili lifted the saddle and put it where it belonged on Coal's back then said, "It does not look like there is anything wrong with it. The buckle must not have been all the way in and worked its way back out."

"Thank you for the analysis of the problem." Kili said.

"You can expect a bill of service for the use of my brilliant mind." Fili replied with a smirk and Kili rolled his eyes.

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The afternoon passed quickly for the princes. Too quickly for the dark haired one who was eager to keep going, but he stopped when his light haired brother pointed out that the ponies might not want to walk all night after all the walking they had already done that day.

Kili sighed and dismounted, his boots thudded hard on the ground. A stiff Fili soon was standing on the ground soon as well and he walked over to join his brother in fumbling with the pack straps on Myrtle's back. When they were done with that, Fili flopped on the ground and closed his eyes. _Someone's obviously tired._ Kili thought and removed all three bridles and tied the ponies to picket stakes he drove into the ground. He unsaddled Mabel and Coal as well and by the time he was finished, Fili was asleep.

Now was the perfect time for mischief.

Kili grinned fiendishly and began to contemplate on a good way to wake Fili up by scaring him half to death. This had to be done carefully or else it could all be spoiled. He sat down cross legged and thought through all the things that would really be fun and not get him killed by his brother at the same time. If there was a spider around, he could use that, but then again he could find something better than that. He started to go through the list of things Fili was afraid of, but the only problem was that there were not many the things that could startle his brother. After all, he was a warrior and they did not scare easy. Still there must be something…

A sharp wind interrupted his thoughts and he shuddered. Kili glanced at Fili and decided to leave him alone for the time being and get a fire started. He got up and gathered some kindling sticks and even found a good sized log. The log was dead and hollow so when Kili dropped it on the ground, it split and a few insects crawled out including a great fat spider that ran straight toward Fili. He thought about killing it, but then just waited to see what would happen.

The arachnid reached Fili's arm and stopped, tapping on his tunic sleeve to see what it had found. Then, seeing no threat in the cloth, it began to try and climb. Kili had pity on his brother and walked over to flick the spider off. When he got there, Fili stirred and he quickly brushed the spider back onto the ground and stepped on it. He turned back to his arm load of flammable objects he had collected and brought out his tinder box and struck his flint and steel together until a spark or two landed on the wood and a handful of dry grass Kili had collected. He blew on the spark gently and it grew into a flame which licked hungrily at the wood. Kili watched it for a little while and then sorted through the pack with food until he found something to eat.

When he was finished with his small meal, he spread out his sleeping roll, but did not bed down. He had remembered Thorin's words to them a long while ago about always keeping someone on watch and decided to keep awake for a few hours and then get his brother up to take his place.

_**A/N**_** I am back to the usual word count now! Yay! I worked on this all day, so now I'm tiered and I hope you like it. Fili and Kili are giving me the 'hurry up and finish that so we can go to bed' look even though I have tried to tell them that they can go without me. Stubborn creatures they can be… but they still say thank you to Syblime, Mira Meliandra, jaymzNshed, leggomygreggo2, GregsMadHatter, Akeea, Apophis god of chaos, Lady Hobbit :D, Wraven, and Alicia457 for their reviews and support. **

**There ****IS**** a box down there to write what you think of this chapter, so you have no excuse not to review.**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

*Fili*

Kili woke him around midnight to keep watch. Fili would have preferred to sleep, but Kili was persistent and so he did get up. He really did not even remember of falling asleep; just of feeling tired and lying down. His little brother settled down on his bed roll and closed his eyes. The fire Kili must have started had died into glowing embers of orange, the stars in the sky were bright and there was a new moon. It was much like a different time on _the_ adventure when Fili and his brother were on watch duty and they had gotten bored. The memory of what they had done to amuse themselves brought a smile to the blonde's face.

When it seemed Kili was asleep, there came a howl echoing over the land and his brother sat up, very much awake now and wide-eyed.

"What was that?" Kili asked.

"Probably just a lone wolf, nothing to worry about. Go to sleep, Kee, or you're going to fall off your pony again." Fili warned.

"Sure, everyone falls off their ponies when they don't sleep." Kili said. The sarcasm was as plain as his discomfort. Fili shook his head. Sometimes, his brother was stubborn when he was tired, but now he was also wary of what was lurking in the shadows just beyond his line of sight and calming down always took him a while. Fili moved over until he was next to his brother.

"Kili, it's all right. It was not even around this area and even if it was, they hunt in packs, not alone." Fili said. Kili looked at him then nodded, but he did not make another attempted to sleep again.

Kili laid down on his roll and stared up at the stars while Fili poked the embers of the fire with a stick.

"Kili, why…" Fili started to ask when Kili jumped up and held a finger to his lips. Fili watched as his brother looked all over the area, looking for signs of something unusual. After a bit, the younger of the two shook his head and settled back down. But almost a minute after he got down, he sprang back up again but this time stepped away from the light. Fili cocked his head to one side, wondering what his little brother was doing when Kili bounded back into view and nearly ran right in to Fili who had just stood up to look for him.

"What in Durin's name are you doing?"

"There is something out there!" Kili exclaimed and Fili sighed.

"Of course there is! It's called the world."

"Not funny. I mean it Fili."

"All right, what have you managed to bring down on our heads now? A rogue bull or an Oliphant?" Fili asked and Kili glared at him.

"FILI! If you don't stop that, I'll go have it chase me!"

"Was that a threat? And what will chase you?"

"The thing out there!"

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"No, you are. Come on and I'll show you." Kili said. Fili sighed again and let his brother pull him the direction he had gone. Kili walked very lightly and paused every now and then looking around. It was very silent save for the breathing of the two princes and one could almost believe they were being watched from somewhere. Kili halted and held up his hand before Fili could ask him a question, so instead, Fili decided to make Kili happy and use Iglishmek.

"_What is it?_" he signed. Kili answered, "_Don't say anything please._"

"_I didn't!_"

Kili gave him a look and Fili didn't move his hands again. The golden hair Dwarf was really beginning that whatever Kili seemed to have seen was either his imagination or he was trying to scare him when there was a pop and a loud snap behind them. Kili whirled on his heel and Fili was knocked over when Kili accidently hit him.

"Kili!" Fili said at the same time as Kili shouted, "Look out!"

A large, gray furred wolf pounced at Fili just as soon as he laid eyes on it and he rolled out of the way just in time to escape the massive creature's white fangs. Kili slide his sword from his sheath and took up a defensive stand when the wolf turned to him and saw him as a bigger threat then his brother. Fili pulled a knife out of his gauntlet and was just about to throw it as the wolf jumped at Kili and tackled him.

There was a yelp and a grunt when Dwarf and animal hit the ground. Fili scrambled over to where his brother lay under the large wolf giving it a hard shove, but the wolf was bigger than he was and it hardly budged. He set his shoulder against it and push, his boots digging into the dirt as he did. Finally, it rolled off of Kili and Fili knelt at his brother's side. Kili gasp for air and closed his eyes with a little grimace. Fili could see no sign of injury and the blood that was on Kili had come from the wolf where it had stabbed itself on Kili's blade.

"Are you hurt at all, little brother?" Fili asked. Kili shook his head and reopened his dark eyes.

"I'm alright. It just knock my breath out a little."

"Let's go back. Are you sure you're alright?" Fili said again.

"Yeah. I think I want to go to sleep when we get back." Kili replied and got to his feet. Fili grinned and they both walked in the direction of their camp with Kili leaning a bit on his brother's sturdy shoulders.

They reached their destination a little slower than they had left it as they were both worn out and Kili seemed to limp a little but he insisted it was nothing so Fili had to let him alone. The ponies raised their heads at the Dwarves approach abd Fili thought that he actually caught what sounded like a nicker of greeting from Coal when he spied his young master.

Kili laid down immediately and soon was fast asleep. Fili dropped his cloak on top of Kili's own to insure that nothing would disturbed his brother's much needed rest. Nothing else bothered them again for the rest of the night and Fili went back to sleep just as the eastern sky was touched with light.

When Fili opened his eyes again Kili was still sleeping and he smiled to himself when his brother turned over in his sleep and muttered something in his sleep about being chased by an Oliphant.

_**A/N**_** I hope you like this one. At first I had a hard time starting it, in fact most of this I just wrote earlier or, as you are most likely reading this in the morning, yesterday afternoon. Kili is passed out on Fili's shoulder after a tiring day and Fili also is nodding a little. Thank you leggomygreggo2, jaymzNshed, GregsMadHatter, Mira Meliandra, Syblime, Lady Hobbit :D, Apophis god of chaos, .3954, Alicia457, ACreativeHobbit, Akeea, and Wraven for your wonderful reviews! Please keep it up and make the Dwarrow smile and the little author writing.**

**If any of you are looking for a good Kili/Tauriel story, go look at leggomygreggo2's "fight for survival, fight for love" right now! I'm really enjoying it myself. :P**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

*Kili*

The wolf had been an exciting few moments and Kili had felt adrenalin pumping through his body when it had jumped at him. However, having the great beast land on him was not the best thing that had ever happened to him. Needless to say, after the adrenalin wore off, Kili was exhausted and it did not take him very long to drop off into the realm of dreams.

He was woken by the sound of Fili talking to something, the ponies Kili guessed, and impatient hooves pawing at the ground. Kili sat up and blinked the sleep from his eyes as his elder brother appeared in front of him.

"Hi Lazy Bones! I thought you'd sleep until the world's end and nothing could wake you." Fili said.

"Don't call me that Blondie." Kili muttered and Fili raised an eyebrow asking, "What did you say?"

"Nothing." Kili replied meekly, but Fili did not look too convinced that he was telling the truth. He offered Kili a hand and he accepted it, using his brother's strength to pull himself to his feet. Kili looked around the landscape and it did not look as if Fili had been battling any foes whilst his brother slept. The sun was rising in the East turning the sky shades of golden, pink and orange.

When Kili started to walk toward Coal, the black pony nickered and pricked his ears. Kili stopped and stared.

"Is he under some kind of spell?" he asked Fili.

"I don't know. He's been like that since last night. I can't figure out what is wrong with him."

Kili held out his hand to Coal and he lipped at it and then nuzzled Kili's arm. Kili just stood there. Coal had never done anything like that before to him and it took the Dwarf by surprise. Then the answer showed itself to him. He and his brother had not been the only ones who needed a change.

"Fili, I think I know why he's like this." Kili said.

"Why?"

"Because he is happy on the road."

"Oh, I see. He needed to be out too. Makes perfect sense now." Fili said and began to bridle Myrtle. Kili patted Coal's neck with one hand and rubbed the star on the pony's forehead with his other. Coal push against his chest with his nose and stamped his hoof as if to tell Kili to hurry up and get on his back so he could start out again.

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Kili rode beside his brother in a comfortable silence with nothing to hear other than the thud of the ponies' hooves, the squeak of leather from the saddles, jingling of the bridles and the chirping of birds. Mabel tossed her head and shook her mane in Fili's face.

"Now why on earth or under it did you do that to me?!" Fili said. Mabel just did it again and Kili put a hand over his mouth to hide his grin at Fili's misfortune. Fili was about to say something else when Mabel reared a little and chomped at her bit.

"I think she wants a run. Why don't you hand Myrtle over to me and let her loose?" Kili asked and Fili shook his head replying, "If I do that, Coal will want to follow her and he might cause problems."

"Like what?"

"Bucking. You want to sail through the air?" Fili asked.

"Oh come now! I'm a better rider than that! Let her go, I can manage." Kili said and held out his free hand for Myrtle's reins. The elder hesitated and then passed the pack-pony to his brother and tapped his heels lightly on his mare's flanks. Kili smiled as the silver pony leaped right in to a gallop having pulling back on Coal's reins when his mount wanted to follow his friend's lead.

"No you don't. We'll let her go without us. For now, that is." Kili told him but the pony was not satisfied with this answer and flicked his ears back. When his master still did not let him run after Mabel, he snorted and kicked. It seemed to have no effect on the young Dwarf, so this time Coal put more effort into his actions. The results were that Kili almost bit a chunk off his tongue and muttered some words in Dwarvish that Dis would not have liked in the least.

Just as Kili was about to give into Coal's desires and chase after his sibling, Fili turn Mabel back towards them and trotted back. Coal gave Kili one last kick for good measure before greeting his other companion with a low whinny. Fili turned Mabel once more until he was going the same way as his brother was and took Myrtle's reins from Kili with a wide grin.

"Did you enjoy that?" Kili asked.

"Yes, I did. Very much, but it would have been better if you had come too."

In answer, Kili grinned and said, "Have fun. Coal got jealous, so now he wants to leave you behind."

"Kili!" Fili said but he did not have time to say anything else when Kili let Coal's rein go slack and the pony took off into a lively canter which switched into a run using all the speed he could muster. The wind snaked its spirit-like fingers though Kili's wild hair making it even wilder and he laughed. All too soon, he slowed Coal and went back to Fili. His older brother took one look at his disheveled appearance and laughed so hard he almost fell out of the saddle which in return made Kili chuckle.

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The day wore on and Kili found himself hoping that it could go on forever until he felt like stopping. But of course, against the young prince's wishes, the sun began to sink behind the Misty Mountains somewhere ahead of them.

He wanted to see those mountains again, for it would mean they weren't going around in circles and actually reaching their destination. But also there was the fact that that particular mountain range held high adventure in store for the two of them.

Kili glanced at Fili, but his brother was busy fiddling with the horn of his saddle and did not see the mischievous glint in Kili's eyes. When Fili turned to see if Myrtle's reins were caught on one of the saddle's buckles, Kili leaned over and gave Mabel a good slap on the rump which did not hurt her but sure did surprise the mare.

The dark-hair Dwarf clapped his hand over his mouth to stiff his laughter, but it did not work. When Fili got his pony back under his command, he shouted, "KILI! You are so dead! I am going to get you for that!"

Kili did not seem to care though and just smiled at Fili who gave him a glare that looked like he had inherited from their uncle.

_**A/N**_** Well, I guess that went ok. Now for the revenge of Prince Fili of Erebor! This took me all day, so I hope it's good. The reviews were amazing guys! Please send more! And by "guys" I mean: leggomygreggo2, Mira Meliandra, Alicia457, Akeea, Wraven, jaymzNshed, ACreativeHobbit, GregsMadHatter, .3954*, Syblime, Lady Hobbit :D, and Apophis god of chaos. Fili and Kili really enjoyed reading the last bunch of reviews! (: **

**I am also now a Beta reader for anyone out there who needs one.**

***When I put the dots in last time, the website ate your name! Oops! **


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

*Fili*

Fili was not amused at all with Kili's little trick he pulled. _There has to be a way I can get revenge on Kili! _Fili thought. He was still deep in plots and schemes when Coal suddenly stumbled. Fili halted when Kili dismounted and lifted Coal's front hoof.

"What's the matter?" Fili asked.

"He picked up a stone in his shoe." Kili answered and proceeded to remove the stone which had lodged itself between the pony's soft bottom of his hoof and iron shoe. Fili watched Kili and then knew exactly what he was going to do to get even with his brother. By the time Kili stood up, Fili's sneeky plan had already been put to work.

They continued on for about half an hour until they both decided to stop for the night. Kili was about to get off his pony, when the saddle, without any warning, slide from Coal's back and Kili was in the dust.

"Fili, I know you did this. You had better learn to keep yourself awake for the rest of the journey or you're not going to like it." Kili said as calmly as he could, while anyone could see that he was inwardly seething with contained rage. Fili smirked and slid out of his saddle.

"You just can stay on the pony, can you?"

"Did you do it the first time too?" Kili asked, standing up and giving his elder a fierce look.

"No. That happened on its self."

"So you _are_ guilty this time?"

"Maybe a little bit. Now it's my turn to ask a question: what will you do to me if I go to sleep?"

Kili smiled very grimly and said, "I guess you'll just have to find that out."

Now Fili was quite sure he did not want to put Kili on watch ever again for safety reasons. He was not sure what Kili was planning, but it could not be good in the least. There were times when Fili did not trust his little brother and right now was defiantly one of them.

"You know what you are, Kili?" he asked to change the subject.

"What?" Kili asked back and he sounded a little suspicious that Fili was going to say something he would not like.

"You are a dead-eye."

"A dead what?!" He did not seem too happy about it.

"A dead-eye." Fili repeated. Kili still did not look impressed, so Fili said, "Do you even know what that is?"

"No."

Fili shook his head. How could Kili not know what that meant?

"It means you are an expert archer. Take the complement." he said.

To say that Kili looked confused as to why Fili called him such a strange sounding name and then tell him that it was a complement would be an understatement. He looked absolutely baffled to no end. Fili glanced at him and began to laugh hard. When Kili's puzzled expression grew even more confused, the golden haired Dwarf almost collapsed in helpless glee.

"What is so funny?" Kili asked and Fili replied, "Your face when I said that! What were you expecting? To be teased?"

"Yes, I was. After all, I just threatened you."

Fili grinned. His brother always guessed the worst when someone said something he had never heard before. Kili still did not look completely convinced that a 'dead-eye' was entirely what Fili said it was and Fili felt like rolling his eyes, but he refrained from the action and began to try and think of a way to call a truce before what they were doing turned into a full-scale prank war when there was no one around to put an end to it. If it did become a war, Fili knew that it would not end until they reached The Shire.

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Kili seemed to have the most energy out of all the ponies and his brother, but Fili was not about to let him take watch first and wake up later to whatever sort of mischief Kili had planned. But then again, he was to going to go to sleep after Kili took second watch either, and wake up to the same thing.

Fili was sitting on the ground, while Kili untangled a snag in Coal's mane, and tried to think of a way to keep himself safe from Kili's devious mind and get some rest at the same time. So far everything the elder sibling had thought of would not work and he was starting to get discouraged on what to do. _Maybe it would just be better to let him get it over with then learn to sleep with one eye on my brother the entire time._ he thought, but his Dwarvish pride protested strongly against it. He sighed and shook his head, waiting for a suitable idea to present itself.

After he was finished brushing his pony, Kili walked over to Fili and sat next to him idly dragging a twig through the dust. Fili watched him do that, absently at first, but then almost with something akin to intrest.

"Why are you doing that, Kili?"

"I don't know, I'm just doing it is all." Kili replied without looking up at his brother. Fili shook his head and watched as Myrtle bit of the tops of wild onions and tried to get the offensive greenery out of her mouth. Fili chuckled a little at her actions.

Kili glanced up at the pony in distress and grinned before starting to make some kind of pattern with his twig. Fili closed his eyes for a minute or so and when he reopened them and looked at what Kili was doing, he saw that his little brother had drawn Fili's personal emblem, his own next to it, and beneath them he and written in Dwarven runes: "Truce, brother?"

The crown prince looked over at Kili who smiled at him. Fili considered the options carefully. If he were to say no, that could mean Kili would stop at nothing to get revenge. If he accepted, it could mean either Kili was not in the mind set for something like a war or that he was just saying that to make Fili relax his guard and then suddenly do something to him. Fili was expecting the latter and he decided to play along.

"Alright Kee, I agree to your truce." he said.

"Good."

The trap was sprung. If Kili really gave up he would have just nodded and started a different conversation.

_**A/N**_** I am sorry I did not update sooner! I wanted to but then a writer's block hit and depression happened. It was sad. So anyway, I'M BACK! And I am now the proud owner of… The Desolation of Smaug DVD! :D **

**Thank you all the favoriters and followers out there! And of course the wonderful Alicia 457, Mira Meliandra, GregsMadHatter, jaymzNshed, ACreativeHobbit, Akeea, Syblime, leggomygreggo2, Wraven, and Apophis god of chaos for reviewing! The Durin boys really love the reading they get to do thanks to you guys.**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

*Kili*

He had it all planed out. All he had to do was to wait until Fili went to sleep and then find what he would need to make his planed succeed. Kili smiled just thinking about it. His brother was going to be so mad and it was going to be incredibly funny. Of course, it might be useful to make sure there was a tree he could climb if Fili got a little too enraged.

Fili was watching him, though, and Kili mentally cursed for not knowing Fili would be suspicious of him. It was only natural that he would be, after all, Kili did not give up that easily and he did not especially when practical jokes were concerned. He had not earned his nickname by just letting things go and not thinking up ways to make the offending person (or thing) pay for whatever crime they had committed against himself or his brother.

To make it seem like he was not in the mood for a prank, Kili began to work on the arrow he had been carving and he looked disinterested in anything else but his whittling. His evil plan was working, for Fili soon began to relax and sharpen a random dagger. Kili smiled to himself and continued to carve.

It felt like years to the young archer while he was waiting for his elder brother to go to sleep and he was starting to get very bored. But finally Fili dozed off and Kili grinned with a well-known spark in his dark eyes. _This is going to be so great!_ Kili thought as he quietly snuck away and hoped that Fili would not awake before he returned with his needed ingredient to disaster.

Kili still walked lightly after he had left the camp behind so he would be able to hear the signs of what he wanted. And soon, he did hear them. At first, all he could hear was a faint sort or humming sound and then it grew into a loud buzz. Kili grinned and followed the sound until he was lead to an old Elm tree with a large hole in the trunk. In the hole was his prize, a honeybees' nest.

He paused and considered his course of action that would give him a large amount of the hive and the fewest amount of stings possible. After a few minutes thought, Kili decided the best way to make sure the bees would not swarm him, was to smoke them. He remembered how they had been out in the woods back in the Blue Mountains with Bainard and he had smoked bees out of the hive; and he also remembered how they had wrestled for the sweet honeycomb. The memory made him smile for a little before he set to work on building a fire.

When his fire was burning strong enough, Kili took a long, straight tree branch and wrapped green grass and leaves around it. Then he let it catch of fire, but it did not just flame of course, but smoked rather well. Kili knew that he still was going to get stung, but it would be worth it, so he charged at the hive. At first, the bees were furious at the disturbance and began to swarm, but the cool night air had already slowed them down and now the smoke was making them even drowsier.

The young Dwarf prince and two stings on his hands and one on the back of his neck where one and crawled into his hair and stung him with which Kili responded with Khudzul curses. _But I do have what I came for._ Kili thought as he tried to get his hand unstuck from the section of the hive he was holding.

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"What on earth did you do!?" It was not really a question Kili guess as he quickly dodged his brother and got on the opposite side of Mabel.

"I got my revenge, that's what I did." he answered calmly. Fili glared at him in response and Kili did something which did not help matters in the least. He laughed. Kili could not help it, really. It was just the fact that the blond Dwarf looked so amusing with honey all over him. But then Mabel stamped her foot and her hoof landed right on top of Kili's boot.

Kili probably made a face that gave away his foot was hurting something awful, for Fili raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did that hurt, Kee?"

"No, Fili, it didn't at all," Kili said with sarcasm, "It's not like she's wearing iron shoes and weighs over three hundred pounds."

"Sorry. I just had to ask because she hasn't stepped on me yet."

"You don't want her to either." Kili said while standing on one foot. Fili grinned at him and said, "I don't have to get even with you now, you know."

Kili gave him an odd look. "What do you mean?" he asked his brother.

"I mean that I would have had to get even with you with another prank, but Mabel took care of it for me. She stepped on your foot and she's my pony so that means she gave me the revenge and I don't have to do anything. Make sense?" Fili asked and Kili nodded.

"But there's only one problem with that." he said.

"And what is that?"

"Now Coal will have to get his revenge on Mabel and then she'll get back at him. We will be stuck in between a pony prank war."

Fili rolled his eyes and put a hand to his eyes, obviously tired, but then he stopped to glare at Kili who cocked his head to one side, asking a silent question. His question was answered when Fili motioned to the part of beehive lying by Kili's bedroll and then to his face.

"Oh. Sorry Fili, I won't do anything of the like to you again. At least, not until we pass the Misty Mountains, that is." Kili said, but his brother was not satisfied with that.

"You better not try anything of the sort for as long as you live!"

"Okay, okay, I won't. I swear."

"On what do you swear?"

"You have to be that difficult, don't you?" Kili asked with a sigh to which Fili answered, "Of course I do. It's my job. Now, answer the question."

"It is not! Your job is to protect me!" Kili exclaimed in mock surprise. Fili groaned. "Oh come off it, Kili! Never mind that and please say what it is you swear on so that I can go back to sleep. I can't trust you unless you do."

"Fine, be that way. I swear on…on, um…on our bond as brothers. There, now do you believe me?"

"I do. Come on then. And Kili?"

"Yeah, Fee?"

"If I fall off Mabel in the morning, you are going get all the blame." Fili said. Kili grinned and shook his head, setting down comfortably on his blankets as he was still not tired and his brother looked like he could fall asleep standing where he was. About three hours later, though against all Kili's trying to stay awake, both brothers were deeply asleep.

Eight hours later, about four or five in the morning, a young doe stood in the meadow with her ears pricked towards the strange figures of three ponies and two Dwarves. But the most interesting thing she could see about the Dwarves was that the dark-haired one was lying with his arm flopped over the golden-haired one's chest and every now and then her sharp hearing could pick up the sounds of him muttering something about honey and beehives in his sleep.

_**A/N**_** Ok, so I thought I would have more than one chapter done during spring-break. Sorry about the delay guys, but I took too long! So sad…**

**Lady Hobbit :D! It is so nice to read your reviews once again! Thank you for the encouragement and the funny comment. It made the boys' day. And also, leggomygreggo2! Thank you soooooo much for the prank idea! As always, Mira Meliandra, leggomygreggo2, GregsMadHatter, Lady Hobbit :D, ACreativeHobbit, jaymzNshed, Alicia457, Syblime, and Akeea have my eternal thanks for their reviews and support! There is a box down there that you should type a review in and I'll be watching for you. **

**HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE! I hope you all have a great time! :D**


	27. Chapter 27

_**A note for Lady Hobbit:**_** I'm glad that the last chapter helped cheer you up when your day was not going the way you wanted it to. What you said about naming your chocolate rabbits after Fili and his brother sounds like something this girl *points to self* would do. Talk about crazy fangirls... :) **

Chapter 27

*Fili*

_Three weeks later…_

Fili pulled back and Mabel's reins and sat watching his little brother trying to get his pony back under his control. Coal was in a very mischievous mood and was not afraid to show it. Fili would not have been able to do anything for his brother seeming how the black-furred creature was too interested in throwing his hind heels in the air while the eldest prince was counting how many bucks Kili could take until he was tossed from the saddle or Coal put a halt to his actions.

The count was seven powerful kicks when Kili gave up and leapt for the sky. He almost got there too. Fili bit his lip when Kili came back to the earth with a loud _thud._ He dismounted quickly and hurried over to where Kili was on the ground.

"Are you alright?" he asked and Kili nodded. But he knew Kili would hide it if he was hurt so he asked, "You sure about that, Kee?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just knock my breath out is all." Kili answered with a half-smile. But the elder was still not convinced that getting the breath knocked out of his lungs was the only thing that had happened to his brother. Kili sat up and grimaced when he tried to take a deep breath only adding to Fili's worry. It was possible that Kili had bruised something internal with the way he had slammed into the hard earth.

Kili saw the look on Fili's face and shook his head claiming that it was nothing and he was not really hurt. Fili did not feel very reassured and he especially did not when Kili swayed after he had stood up.

"You're not okay, are you?" Fili asked but Kili replied that he had just gotten up too fast and he was just a little dizzy. He remounted Coal after giving the pony a dark glare and turned back to glance at his brother who was still watching him with a troubled expression.

"I'm perfectly alright." Kili said then added, "But if you don't hurry up and get back on your pony, you are going to be rather lonesome until you can catch up with me."

Fili smiled back at his brother. Sometimes Kili would tell the truth if he was hurting or not and this appeared to be one of those times.

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They rode on in silence for some time until Kili suddenly burst out laughing as if there was no tomorrow. Fili turned to watch as Kili came very close to sliding off Coal's back for the fit of laughter he was in.

"What by Mahal is so funny?" Fili asked him when Kili had settled down a little.

"I was just…thinking about the names of…of the months!" Kili gasped.

"And what is so funny about them, might I ask?"

"Well, you see I was saying them backwards in my head…and April is Lirpa along with October b…being Rebotco!"

With that, Kili promptly began to laugh again. Fili just stared at him for a little while until he began to think the names over and then he saw what Kili was cackling over. Who would name a month something that could become Lirpa? And May would be Yam, if one were to spell it backwards. The blond prince started the chuckle at the names as well, but he found the way Kili seemed to not be able to breathe for all the laughing he was doing slightly more amusing. _Only my brother would find something like that._ he thought fondly.

Kili stopped laughing over what any kind of name would be (Legolas becoming Salogel the last one he thought of), he fell very silent and Fili was being to wonder what Kili was thinking about that seemed so captivating when Kili grinned and said, "Liudnarht."

"What did you say?" Fili asked because whatever it was sounded like gibberish.

"Liudnarht." Kili replied, but it still did not make any sense.

"And what does that mean?"

"Figure it out."

_I bet it's another name backwards. _Fili thought and began going through the mental list names he knew that started with 'T'. He came up with negative results the first two times, until finally he had two names left that could be it, but he wanted to be sure.

"Does it ride a large animal?"

Kili gave him a funny look but then said yes.

"Does it wear twigs in its hair and act like a complete um… not-even-going-to-say-that-word?"

"Yeah." Kili answered with a grin.

"Is it Thranduil backwards?"

The dark-haired prince nodded then said, "That was a little fun when you were guessing. Should we keep doing that? Saying names backward and then guessing at them?"

"Sure."

And that was how the rest of the afternoon went. For almost two hours all they did was guess at names and words that had been switched around. They both had great fun with it finding things like "fle" and Kili even tried a whole sentence for Fili that went something like "Ilif sah tog ot yrram a ssecnirp."* When Fili found the answer out, it was all Kili could do to keep from laughing at Fili annoyed and completely unamused face.

By the time both Dwarves were tired, Kili had thought of another game with words. Instead of turning them around, he added an 'H' to the beginning of each word. It turned out, once they started talking like that, they could not stop much to the amusement of the two of them.

"He have ho hop hooing hiss." What Fili had tried to say was, "We have to stop doing this."

"Hi ho! Hiss his hoo haddicting!" Kili had attempted, "I know! This is too addicting!"

Then they burst out laughing at the way they sounded and began to thump each other on the head when one of them did it again.

Before they were asleep, Fili noticed that the sky looked a little too overcast to suit his liking and hoped that it did not mean rain was going to ruin all the fun they had been having up until then.

_**A/N**_** So this took too long for me to write. Sorry about that. **

**I don't have much to say other then, YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! Keep reading and reviewing, please! Mira Meliandra, leggomygreggo2, Alicia457, GregsMadHatter, jaymzNshed, Akeea, Lady Hobbit, and ACreativeHobbit are the wonderful people who have reviewed, but all you who have not reviewed and just favorited and/or followed are just as awesome. I will not abandon this fiction, although I am sorry to say that the updating might slow down due to the fact that I am getting way behind in school. :( **

**The Durin boys loved the last bunch of reviews, so please make them happy again. PS: If you find any mistakes in the writing, I would love it if you could point them out so I could fix them.**

***"Fili has to marry a princess." is what Kili said.***


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